


You're My Ever After

by TheLadyJ



Series: Without You, I'm a Disaster [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: M/M, Tried to do the 30 day otp, after chapter 14 the story gets better i promise, and making it right, but decided it fucking sucked, finally taking my story back, no more mindless fluff, you wont see this shit coming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-24
Updated: 2013-08-19
Packaged: 2017-12-12 21:05:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 33,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/816060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLadyJ/pseuds/TheLadyJ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve and Tony finally get on the same page when it comes to their relationship. After the battle with Morrigan, they both begin to understand, life is too short to hide the way they feel about each other. The time of running scared from their feelings is over.</p>
<p>But while The Avengers settle into a normal stress free life, they figure out just how bad an idea complacency is.</p>
<p>Continuation of His Captain and Worth Fighting For, set to the 30 day OTP.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. holding hands

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I've never done a challenge of any kind, but I wanted to try it. After His Captain and Worth Fighting For, I think I put the boys through enough heartache. I figured a super fluffy mildly smutty (if i can pull it off, I'm not very good at writing that stuff) is just what Steve and Tony needed.

Day 1 Holding Hands

The battle had been stressful and painful, but not overly difficult. Steve sat, still in his torn and charred uniform. The fire hadn’t burnt through the fabric, but it hadn’t left it untouched either. The hooks for his shield had been torn off and he had cuts across his face from fighting off rampaging trees.

 

Tony lay in the hospital bed, unmoving. Hooked up to monitors and IV’s. Steve didn’t move, didn’t talk to anyone, didn’t do anything for three days.

 

Tony and Natasha had been held for over two weeks, Steve and the rest of the team had spent countless hours searching for the missing members. Clint was in with Nat, Steve was sure of that and he hadn’t even seen Bruce or Thor since the end of the battle.

 

The casualties of this battle had been greater than any Steve had witnessed in this time. The loss of Jane Foster would be felt throughout the team. Steve didn’t even know where to begin to comfort Thor. The whole battle had started because of his falling in love with Jane. Steve and Clint had merely been pawns in Morrigan’s plan. They hadn’t lost as much as Thor. Both of them still had the people they loved, alive and safe.

 

Steve looked over at Tony, who still hadn’t woken up. He was undamaged, physically but Steve understood the pain that went with captivity and he was willing to bet there would be some lasting PTSD. 

 

As the days and nights passed, doctors came in to check on Tony. While they were there, they looked over Steve, made sure the few wounds he had were healing. Steve had refused to move from Tony’s side, refused to let go of his hand.

 

Steve clung to Tony for life, needing desperately to see those brown eyes again. He needed to hear the smooth silky, sassy voice that went with his best friend and the man he loved.

 

Three days he sat, in an uncomfortable chair. Sleeping on the side of the bed, were he not a super soldier, his body would have objected to the mistreatment. Fury or someone, more likely Coulson, had ordered that he be brought food and then not be disturbed. He was thankful someone was at least sort of watching out for him, because he was only looking out for Tony.

 

By the end of the third day, Steve and the rest of the staff had started to worry that Tony had actually gotten hurt in the battle. They had looked him over, run scans and all kinds of other tests Steve couldn’t begin to understand. They hadn’t found anything to be wrong physically with Tony, he was simply sleeping.

 

Steve had known Tony to kind of hibernate when he had been up for days, but he’s never seen Tony sleep for so long.

 

Steve was up early as usual, he hadn’t gotten more than a few hours a sleep since Tony had been taken. The hand beneath his tightened and Steve looked up from the book he was reading to see brown eyes staring at him. Steve smiled, his heart clenching as the smile was returned. Steve stood to call the nurse but the grip on his hand tightened and Steve looked down.

 

“Don’t go.” Tony’s voice was raspy and weak.

 

Steve nodded, “I’m not going anywhere, I promise.” He reached across Tony and pressed the nurses call button. Then settled on the bed next to Tony’s legs. The man had been unwilling to let go of Steve’s hand. Steve wasn’t about to complain.

 

The nurse came in, took Tony’s vitals and left. Steve was sure a doctor or the director would be alerted to Tony’s return to consciousness.

 

“How long was I out?”

 

“Three and a half days. We were starting to get worried.”

 

“Please, I’m fine. Hows everyone else? Hows Thor?” Tony didn’t feel too bad for being held against his will for the two weeks. Tony had been unsure of how long he’d been down in the cave, until Morrigan had explained the Samhain ritual. He wasn’t worried about himself, he wanted to know that everyone else had come out of the fight alright. Watching Jane be murdered in front on him had been pretty hard to take, but it was nothing compared to what he imagined Thor was feeling. Everyone knew how much Thor loved Jane.

 

“I haven’t seen anyone else. Clint has been at Natasha’s side since mid battle. I’m pretty sure Nat’s going to put a bullet in his foot if he doesn’t stop hovering. Bruce has been the only one allowed anywhere near Thor.”

 

Tony’s eyebrows rose in shock, Thor and the Hulk had never really gotten along so Bruce had typically kept his distance. Tony had been the only person to know how much Bruce hated it. Bruce and The Hulk didn’t always see eye to eye on people they wanted to be friends with.

 

“Yeah, I know,” Steve said, seeing Tony’s reaction. “I’m not sure what happened there but the Hulk has been kind of protective of Thor. Its my understanding that Fury tried to talk to Thor and Banner hulked out and destroyed part of the room they had been in. No one has tried to get to them since.”

 

“I want to try.” Tony said, releasing Steve’s had for the first time since he’d woken up. Pulling the cords from his chest and removing the IV from his arm, Tony sat up.

 

Steve sighed, “Of course you do.” He said, moving off the bed. “Pepper brought you clothing, they are hanging on the hook in the bathroom.” Tony smiled and padded to the bathroom. He was glad that Steve hadn’t fought him when he removed the monitors.

 

Pepper was the most amazing assistant anyone could ever ask for. He was glad that their relationship had remained intact after their breakup. It had been a pretty easy break in all honesty. He was in love with someone else and she knew that.

 

She had found happiness with Happy. Tony was infinitely pleased that two of his best friends could find each other in a time with less and less things to be happy about.

 

A simple tee shirt and sleep pants hung on the hook in the bathroom and Tony wasted no time shedding the hospital gown. He was on a mission and no amount of doctors or nurses would stop him. He needed to see Thor. Looking in the mirror, Tony smoothed his unruly hair. He should shower, but that could wait. His eyes looked worn. Images of the battle flashed behind his eyes. visions of Jane’s last few moments burned into his retinas. He closed his eyes willing the images to go away, but they refused. The nearly decapitated body of Jane Foster floated behind his eyes and he opened them again.

 

“Lets do this,” he said, walking out of the bathroom. Steve was still in his stars and stripes, but stood by the door, waiting for Tony. “Do you have a change of clothing?”

 

Steve nodded to the chair beside the bed Tony had been sleeping in. A shield issued pair of sweats sat on the floor.

 

“Well, go change, I’ll wait for you.”

 

Steve hesitated but nodded and grabbed the clothing. He was in and out of the bathroom in less time than Tony would have thought possible. He had to remind himself that Steve was military trained. They had to get used to changing under a time constraint.

 

Steve and Tony walked down the corridors in step. Outside Banner’s office they paused. Tony knocked, but no one answered.

 

“Its kind of early, maybe they are in their quarters?” Steve said.

 

Tony was entering his code to Bruce’s office. The door slid open and both men walked in. He was used to finding Banner asleep in his office, it had been the reason he had been willing to check there before checking the sleeping quarters. He had not expected to see Thor and Bruce snuggled next to each other on the far too small couch.

 

“Well, they’re still asleep.” Tony said, looking at Steve.

 

Steve nodded, a small smile on his face.

 

“Tony?” Bruce’s raspy voice said, his floppy gray haired head poked up from around Thor’s shoulder.

 

“Hey big green, how ya doing?” Tony asked, watching Bruce rub his eyes and extricate himself from Thor’s hold.

 

“Good. How are you?” He asked, putting his glasses on and coming to stand in front of Steve and Tony.

 

“I’m fine. Kind of feel like a I went three rounds with a bottle of scotch, but other than the headache, I’m fine.”

 

Bruce nodded, Tony was sure he knew that feeling well.

 

“How’s he doing?” Tony asked looking at the slumbering demigod.

 

“Not good, Jane’s memorial is in a few days and he’s a wreck. I can’t say I blame him.” The three men stood there silently staring at the one person who had lost the most since they had all met.

 

Somehow, it was always Thor that was getting the short end of things. His brother had destroyed half of midtown and been locked away in an Asgardian prison. An ex girlfriend had come to earth to extract her revenge and had taken the life of the one he loved most. Thor had lost so much.

 

Tony couldn’t imagine how he felt. The thought of losing Steve made his chest hurt. He moved closer to the blond and unconsciously wrapped his hand in Steve’s. Steve gave a gentle squeeze and Tony relaxed his pained thoughts. He hadn’t lost Steve. Steve was standing right next to him.


	2. Day 2 Cuddling

Day 2 Cuddling

The bagpipe blared in the distance as Steve watched the casket being lowered into the ground. It was a chilly November day. Dark gray clouds painted the sky and the rain poured down upon them.

 

The day had been a somber one, Darcy Lewis and Eric Selvig had flown in from New Mexico for the funeral. Darcy had given an interesting eulogy that had made people laugh and Steve found a sense of peace in it.

 

He hadn’t known Jane at all, and he was sorry for that. Darcy had assured them that she would not want them to mourn her passing. Thor had, after his few days of mourning, decided he would give Jane a warriors send off and had been drunk most of the time since Tony had woken up. Tony had only been awake two days, so Steve didn’t feel the need to worry about Thor. He still had Bruce watching over him, though The Hulk had become more accepting of other people being around Thor.

 

The funeral was small and intimate, Tony figured it was more to keep Bruce from going green. Tony still wasn’t sure he understood the shift in Thor and Bruce’s friendship, but it worked for them. Who was he to question it.

 

Tony didn’t stay around much after the funeral. Since Morrigan, he hadn’t felt all that social. The only person that had unlimited access to him was Steve. Steve had taken advantage of the access and rarely let Tony out of his sight.

 

They hadn’t talked about it yet, about the reasons Morrigan went after Tony. Why, when she had gone after the significant others of the men who had rebuffed her, she went for Tony. It was true that Tony was in love with Steve. Had been for years. Longer than he had actually even known the big blond.

 

Tony had grown up listening to stories of Steve. Had seen pictures of Steve and seen the movies. He had grown up knowing Steve Rogers as Captain America, as a hero. He had fallen in love when he was only five. Dressed up at Steve for Halloween, running down the hall pretending to kill Nazis.

 

The stories his dad told were nothing compared to the legend himself and Tony had been unable to leave his boyhood crush behind. Morrigan had gone after the loved ones, that meant she had thought Steve loved him. Tony could only hope to get that lucky.

 

The wake was held in a lower level of the Avengers Tower. It had really only been The Avengers, Darcy Lewis and Eric Selvig. Fury and Hill had been at the funeral but had left the rest of the group to give Jane a hero's send off in peace. Tony had ducked out fairly early. He hadn’t been sleeping all that well, and he had decided that tinkering in his lab was the best way to take his mind off of the exhaustion that was starting to set in. Plus Thor’s idea of a hero’s send off was to get drunk. Tony had been sober for a few years, with the help of Steve. He wasn’t about to give into temptation.

 

Tony sat at his desk working on a prototype armor that could be called to him whenever he needed it. Steve’s crack about not being anything without his armor still stung, even after they had both apologized and moved passed the hurtful words that Loki’s glow stick had caused. But getting captured himself had spurred his desire to make the tech.

 

Something in the shadows caught Tony’s attention and he looked up. A person walked out from the darkness.

 

“You didn’t really think you could be rescued so easily did you?” Morrigan asked as she glided closer. The blue lines of the electric cage went up around him and Tony was stuck.

 

“Jarvis!” Tony yelled, trying to get his AI to respond, needing to alert the other Avengers to Morrigan’s escape. “Jarvis! Get Steve, Jarvis!” No one responded.

Morrigan laughed. Cold and high pitched, “I won’t be as nice this time. In fact, I don’t think I’ll bother keeping you around at all.”

 

Tony was lifted off the ground, an invisible force wrapped around his throat and he started to struggle for breath.

 

“I’ve had enough of you midgardians. Always getting in the way. Always spoiling my fun.” The force around his neck tightened more. “I should have just killed you when I had the chance.”

 

Tony was shaking, his last few moments of life would be spent in his lab. He wished he could see Steve, maybe tell him he loved him. He could hear Steve calling his name.

 

“Tony. Tony. TONY!” Steve said, shaking the man who lay prone on the floor. He was thrashing in his sleep, gasping for air.

 

Steve had been in his room, getting ready for bed after the wake. It was late in the day, but not late enough that Jarvis had woken him with the distress call. Tony woke gasping for breath, clutching at Steve’s arms.

 

“Tony, its Steve, you’re safe. I got you.” Steve said bringing Tony to a sitting position in front of him.

 

Tony’s movements slowed as he realized what was happening. “Steve?” He asked looking at the man before him.

 

“Yeah, yeah Tony, its me. I got you. You’re safe.” Steve ran his fingers through Tony’s hair, hoping to calm the man. His brown eyes were wide with fear.

 

Tony flung himself at Steve and wrapped his arms around his neck. He willed himself not to cry but he couldn’t get the shaking to stop. The dream had been so real. He had really and truly believed that Morrigan was there. He would still feel the force around his neck.

 

Steve wrapped his arms around Tony and picked him up. The floor was not a place he wanted to spend the night and he wasn’t about to let Tony out of his sight. Thankfully Tony had spent enough nights down in his lab to warrant a couch.

 

Steve made to place Tony down but the grip around his neck strengthened.

 

“Don’t leave.” Was all Tony asked.

 

Steve didn’t respond, he simply sat down on the couch with Tony on his lap and held him. Steve didn’t know what the dream was about, Tony would tell him if he wanted. It didn’t really matter to Steve if Tony ever told him, in all honesty. He was just glad Tony was there with him and that he could help Tony through whatever he was going through.

 

Steve understood nightmares. He had had his fair share after being awaken from the ice. Oddly enough it hadn’t been the ice or the cold that bothered him. It had been the death of Bucky that he relived over and over that gave him the sleepless nights.

 

A soft snoring told him Tony had fallen back to sleep. Steve sighed, grabbed the blanket that lay across the back of the couch and laid them both down lengthwise on the couch. Tony was still in his suit from the wake, but Steve was in his sleep pants. Steve tucked Tony into his chest. The grip around his neck hadn’t loosened, even in sleep and Tony’s nosed pressed into Steve’s chest. The stress of the day was pulling at Steve and he let his eyes slide shut.


	3. playing games

Day 3 Watching a movie/playing games

 

“I can’t get this fucking thing to work right,” Bruce said. The Wii remote went flying across the room.

 

“Whoa, what the hell Bruce!” Tony yelled as the remote narrowly missed him. Instead, it hit a picture, sending broken glass to the floor.

 

Steve stood in shock holding the second player controller. Clint had decided that as a celebration for being safe and sound, they needed a team bonding night. It hadn’t gone as well as planned. The Wii had proved to be baffling to Bruce, something about gamma waves and motion sensors. Steve didn’t bother to pretend to understand it. The remote had already broken a glass coffee table and now the glass picture frame.

 

Steve wasn’t sure he would like the game, Mario Party, he was pretty sure Clint had called it. Little characters ran around boards hitting blocks with their heads trying to buy the most stars before the amount of rounds ended. It was strange but fun to watch the characters fight with each other. Steve was Princess Peach, he hadn’t had a say in the matter. Clint had picked. Bruce was Toad, Clint was a fat angry looking guy and Natasha was the tall angry guy. Steve didn’t know their names.

 

The game could only play four people so Tony and Thor had sat it out.They had already played one full game. Steve had agreed that Thor should sit the second game out. It had been his wild throw that had broken the table. Tony hadn’t played a single game. He instead sat on the couch, giving Steve pointers that more hindered him than anything. Steve was a good sport, he didn’t care that he was losing. Tony laughing at him made it worth it. Clint and Natasha on the other hand, those two were competitive.

“Thor, get him out of here.” Steve said watching Bruce huff angrily. Thor was up and leading Bruce out of the room before anything bad could happen. Thor and Bruce had found an odd friendship in Jane’s death. Steve thought it was the best thing to happen to either of them.

 

 

“Are we going to keep playing or has enough of my stuff gotten broken?” Tony asked, surveying the damage to the room.

 

“Grab the controller, lets finish this game and then we can call it quits.” Clint motioned with his controller to the Tony. Natasha had the fourth controller. 

 

Tony grabbed the controller and stood next to Steve, “loser buys dinner.” He whispered in Steve’s ear as the lava started to flow in the game.

 

The lava got Steve before he had a chance to even move, the feel of Tony’s lips on his ear had distracted him. Tony smiled, waving his controller around, while the tiny mushroom headed character on the screen sprinted over Natasha and Clint’s characters to the finish line.

 

“Thats not fair!” Clint whined as Tony used his character as a life raft across the lava.

 

Steve sat down on the couch and watched as Natasha came close to overtaking Tony, but a quick move of Tony’s arm had Toad leaping away from the angry character. Steve laughed as Natasha’s character fell into the lava.

 

Tony raised his arms in triumph. “I’m the king.” He said looking at Clint.

 

Clint glowered, “Best two out of three?” He said.

 

Tony put the controller down and shook his head. “Nope, I got better things to do.” Tony turned to Steve and smiled. “Come on Spangles, you owe me dinner.” Tony pulled Steve to a stand and dragged him out of the room.

 

“So, where are we going?” Tony asked pressing the button for the elevator. An alarm sounded throughout the tower and Tony sighed.

 

“To work,” Steve said getting in and holding the elevator door for not only Tony but Clint and Natasha as well.

 

They each departed on their respective floors to suit up and meet on the top of the tower where the quinjet was parked. It never took Steve very long to get dressed but he was always shocked when he was the last one to arrive. 

 

“What took you so long Cupcake?” Clint asked closing the hanger door behind him.

 

Bruce and Natasha were already in their seats. Steve didn’t bother answering. He was busying himself with reading the report from Coulson. Some purple slime thing was making its way through the streets of upstate New York.

 

When they arrived, Thor and Iron Man were already there, blasting holes in the goop. It really was a purple blob. It looked like someone had brought their jell-o to life. Cars and trees and other bits of trash were sticking out of the glob of goo. Steve pinched the bridge of his nose. He wasn’t even sure what he, Widow, Hawkeye and The Hulk could do with glob.

 

Thor sent a bolt of lighting at the purple beast and the spot it hit cracked and burned. The smell of rotten fruit hung in the air. The lightning had stopped the thing in its tracks and Steve had an idea.

 

“Iron Man, I need you on the ground. Thor hit it with as much lightning as you’ve got. Hawkeye, Widow, clear the area. Bruce, I think The Hulk can sit this one out.”

 

Tony landed beside Steve as Thor soared higher in the air, lightning cracking down on the purple thing. Bruce gave a thumbs up and moved back in the jet and got it in the air. Hawkeye and Widow moved off to the sides, pushing the innocent bystanders back so they didn’t get hurt.

 

“Whatcha thinking Cap?” Iron Man said through the com in his ear.

 

Steve turned to look at Tony, he was confident that Hawkeye and Widow could handle the civilians. “Remember the fight with the Chitauri?” Steve asked, glancing at the blob.

 

“I wish I could forget it.”

 

Steve silently agree with him. “Your blasters should create enough heat to help Thor melt to thing down.”

 

“I could have done that in the air Cap.”

 

“If we run the beam along the base of the blob, it won’t be able to go anywhere.”

 

“Raise that Shield Cap, lets take this thing’s legs away.”

 

The rest of the fight, if Steve could call it that, was spent melting goo down. He was sticky ang covered in purple goo. Thor had blasted the monster with a particularly forceful bolt of lightning, sending goo flying in all directions. Steve had gotten of face full, unable to shield himself. Tony’s blaster had been aimed at it at the time. A face full of goo was a better option than a gut hit with the repulsor blast.

 

“I smell,” Steve said walking into S.H.I.E.L.D. “I need a shower. Tell Fury, I’ll be there in a few.”

 

“Hurry back, you still owe me a date.” Tony called after him.

 

Steve’s movements slowed for a second but Tony was in the debriefing room before Steve could ask him anything. Date?


	4. Dating

Day 4: dating

 

The night had started with team bonding and a battle for upstate. In the briefing with Fury, which had pretty much been over when Steve came in from his quick shower, they had concluded that the purple blob had belonged to, as of yet, an unknown person. Steve didn’t like that they didn’t know who was responsible for giant globs of jell-o attacking random cities, but he supposed they’d figure it out eventually. He just hoped it would be sooner rather than later. 

 

The briefing had ended with Fury gruffly stating that they would be keeping an eye on things and would alert the Avengers when they were needed. They had been dismissed. Tony had caught up to Steve just as everyone was leaving.

 

Tony was still in the Iron Man suit, but Steve had changed into a spare pair of khakis he kept in his S.H.I.E.L.D quarters.

 

“So, it seems to me, you owe me dinner.”

 

“I’m pretty sure you cheated, I don’t think I owe you anything,” Steve said, but fell into step with Tony all the same.

 

“I did not cheat. It's hardly my fault that you have poor reaction time.”

 

Steve rolled his eyes, poor reaction time, thats what caused Steve to get his character killed. Right. It had nothing to do with Tony’s lips on his ear, the tickle of the warm air that fanned out across his cheek. It certainly had nothing to do with the feel of his body pressed against Steve’s.

 

“Grab on, I’ll fly us home so that I can change.”

 

Steve wasn’t sure it was a good idea, the night was cold and he only had a thin leather jacket to keep him warm, but the flight wasn’t too bad. Tony had put heat sensors on the armor that had helped keep him warm on the short flight. They were used to traveling in the air, the Iron Man suit had a grip specifically placed so that Steve could be airlifted.

 

Steve had waited in the living room while Tony had changed out of the suit. It hadn’t been a long wait but he had managed to work himself into a ball of nerves. Steve still didn’t understand their relationship.

 

It had shifted after Morrigan had come along and thrown everything into disarray. Steve wasn’t really sure where he stood with the brunet. They were still friends, still hung out all the time and Steve was the only one other than Pepper who had infinite access to him, but he still didn’t understand what had changed.

 

Morrigan had picked up on feelings Steve hadn’t even realized he had. He wasn’t sure what to make of them. He was in love with Tony, that much he knew, but he wasn’t sure how Tony felt about him. The idea that the dinner he was taking Tony to could be a date freaked him out.

 

“Ready?” Tony was standing in front of him in a simple pair of dark jeans and a band tee-shirt. He had learned to like the bands Tony listened to. He still liked the soft tones of the 40s but he had to admit ACDC, Led Zeppelin and a few others had grown on him. He liked the feel of the bass and the guitar in his veins.

 

“Sure, where are we going?” Steve asked.

 

“What I have to pick?” They both got into the car that was waiting for them, Tony sparking the engine.

 

“I’m buying, you’re picking. Its only fair.” The drive to the pizza place was quiet. Steve was tired. The battle, while not that epic, had sent his adrenaline pumping and when that faded, he was left tired and hungry. The hunger had won out, but in the silent car, he could feel the pull of sleep.

 

“We're here!” Tony said pulling in the parking space.

**

The night was cold, but Steve was happy. He and Tony walked through the park, warm coffee in hand.

“So, is this... Is this really...?” Steve’s words caught in his throat as he fiddled with the lid to his coffee.

 

“Is this what?” Tony asked, watching Steve fidget.

Steve cleared his throat, “A date.” He said quietly. The night was silent, no one was in the park. Steve’s words, though quiet, hung in the air.

“Do you want it to be?” Tony said, stopping in his tracks. Hope bloomed in his chest. He had wanted this. Hoped that Morrigan had been right in her ramblings.

 

“Ummm....” Steve wasn’t sure how to answer the question. He wanted it to be a date, so badly. But he was scared. Scared that Tony didn’t feel the same way, scared that they would mess up their friendship or worse, the team.

 

“Cuz, if you want it to be,” Tony said, grabbing Steve by the arm and turning him so they were facing each other. “I would be okay with that.”

 

“Yeah?” Steve said, staring at Tony, a small smile on his face.

 

“Yeah,” Tony said taking Steve’s hand and spurring them forward in their walk.

 

“Well then, its a date.” Steve said, squeezing Tony’s hand as they continued through the park.

 

They walked around the park sipping coffee and holding hands. Steve was happy, he didn’t mind the silence. Just being with Tony was enough to make him content in the moment. Something cold hit his cheek and he looked up.

 

"Look, Tony, it's the first snow of the season. Make a wish." Steve stopped them both and held his hand out as the snow fell.

 

He should hate the snow, hate the cold, but he didn't. Being plunged into the icy water, frozen for 70 years, most people would expect it. Steve loved to show the world just how wrong about him they often were.

The world goes still and silent, if only for the moment. It was something Steve loved about the snow. It reminded him of a simpler time in his life. When he could be excited. Sitting by the fire listening to shows on the radio as the snow fell outside. Stockings hung and the tiny tree lit. He never had a lot of presents but his mom had always made the most things.

Steve closed his eyes as the snow fell silently around him, images of Bucky and his mom singing carols filled his head and he smiled. He missed his old life, but his new life was amazing. The snow was soft and cold against his skin and he shivered.

 

“We should head home, it’s coming down pretty hard. I don’t have chains for the Audi.” Steve nodded and Tony pulled him back to the car.

 

“I don’t think I realized that you liked the snow.” Tony said, driving through the nearly empty streets.

 

“Reminds me of my mom, of my old life, when I was a boy. I’ve always loved how the world gets so quiet and still.” They pulled into the underground parking space and headed up. The elevator dinged on Steve’s level and he moved to get out.

 

Tony grabbed him before he was out and pulled him in close, their lips met briefly before Tony pulled back. “We should do this again sometime.”

 

Steve stepped off the elevator, the door slid shut before he could respond.


	5. Day 5 Kissing

Day 5 Kissing

 

Soft lips slid across Steve’s as his hands settled on slim hips. It had been a while since he’d kissed a girl, it was nothing like kissing Tony. Tony was rough and firm, Natasha was soft and smooth.

**  
**

****

****

“What the?” Tony’s voice cut in as Natasha and Steve broke apart. “I’m going to kill him. That fucking bird. I’m going to burn his nest to the ground.”

**  
**

Steve watched Tony turn on his heels and stalk down the hall. Steve glanced at Nat, who just shrugged and walked the other way. Steve moved to catch up with Tony, who was still muttering to himself.

**  
**

Steve and Tony had only been together a little over a month, their relationship was moving slow. Probably slower than Tony would like. Given Steve’s past relationships, Tony had been willing to take it slow. Steve could only imagine how Tony felt walking into his living room to see his boyfriend kissing Natasha.

**  
**

Boyfriend, Steve was still getting used to that.

**  
**

“Tony, wait up.” Steve said running down the hall.

**  
**

“No, Steve. I’m going to kill him. That Katniss wanna be is going to get his quiver snapped. Bruce isn’t the only one who can Hulk out.”

**  
**

Steve grabbed Tony by the arm and pulled him around to look at him. “He doesn’t mean anything by it Tony. It was just a joke.”

 

“You have lipstick on you lips Steve, explain to me how Nat kissing you was a joke.”

 

Steve wiped his lips, a bright red color stained his palm. “Its not that big of a deal.”

 

Tony stared at him, a slight pink tinging his cheeks. “Not that big a deal! How can you say that. Already this week I’ve seen you kiss Nat, Bruce and Thor.”

 

“And I’ve seen you kiss Pepper, Clint and Hill.”

 

“We are kissing all the wrong people Steve.” Tony said shivering, probably remembering the kiss with Maria. Tony had been in a blind rage for a day after that one. “All because that stupid joker decided to put mistletoe all over the Tower.”

 

“We just need to be better at avoiding the spots he’s hung it, that's all.” Steve tried to reason.

 

Tony shook his head, “No, this ends now. I am not going to be tiptoeing around my house for the next two weeks waiting for Christmas to pass. I want all of the poisonous kiss me plants out now, or so help me God, we will see if that hawk can fly.”

 

Steve let Tony go. He understood the anger. He had been pretty pissed when he had seen Tony and Pepper kiss. But Steve had had more of a reason to be angry than Tony. Pepper and Tony had been an item for a while, Steve had never consider Natasha, Bruce or Thor as anything but friends. The kisses he’d he shared with them had been strange and awkward, to say the least.

 

They hadn’t been the only ones to suffer though. Clint had had to kiss Tony, and while Steve was aware of Clint’s past relationship with Johnny Storm, Clint had looked to be in pain after the kiss with Tony. Nat had laughed and told him it was his fault. Steve had agreed.

 

Thor and Bruce had gotten stuck under the mistletoe themselves a few times. But Tony and Steve hadn’t found themselves under the poisonous kiss me plants as Tony called them. That was the only part that annoyed Steve.

 

“Can you go around and take down all of the death berries that you see?”

 

Steve nodded and Tony kissed him on the cheek. Steve went one way and Tony the other. Each looking for something different.

**

“Clint!” Tony yelled stepping onto Clint’s personal floor. “Where are you, bird brain?”

 

“What’s your damage, Tin Man?” Clint said, landing in front of Tony from one of the rafters.

 

“Your mistletoe prank has gotten out of hand.”

 

“Who did you have to kiss this time? Please god tell me it was Fury, and that pictures were taken.”

 

“This isn’t about me.”

 

“Who did Steve have to kiss? Was it Coulson? It was Coulson huh? We all know how much of a fanboy he is.”

 

“Natasha.”

 

Clint’s eyes went wide before he burst into laughter. “Is he still alive?”

 

Tony glared. He was not in a joking mood. He didn’t enjoy seeing his boyfriend kissing other people. He wasn’t someone that shared his things, and while Steve wasn’t a thing, he was his. Tony had waited years and years for his dream to come true. A dream he had never actually thought was possible, but it was real. Steve was his and he was Steve’s and he did not want to share or be shared.

 

“Its not a big deal, man. Not like Steve or Nat enjoyed it.” Clint moved to pass Tony. 

Tony stuck his arm out to stop him. “Its a big deal to me.”

 

“Fine, take them down. It will save me from having to kiss you again.” Clint made a face of disgust. “Though, seeing Thor and Bruce finally kiss had been worth it.”

 

Tony could agree with that. Those two had been tiptoeing around each other for awhile. Tony was pretty sure there wasn’t actually anything to Thor and Bruce...Yet. It was still too early after Jane’s passing for a relationship. Tony was sure there would be a relationship though.

 

“I’ve already got Steve taking it all down. If you even think about putting more around the tower, so help me God, I will clip your wings.” Clint nodded as Tony left.

 

**

Steve had searched the tower top to bottom and found around twenty or so mistletoe hanging in random and obscure places. He had had some issues getting to a few of them, they had been placed so high in the ceiling Steve had wondered how anyone had gotten up there to hang the damn things.

 

“Holy shit! That's a lot of mistletoe.” Tony said as he walked back into the living room. Steve was standing in the same spot he had been when Tony had walked in on the kiss with Natasha.

 

“Did you get it all?” Tony asked, walking up to Steve.

 

“All but one.” Steve said, a small smile on his face. He reached for Tony and pulled him flush against his body. He loved the feel of Tony against him. Hard lines and smooth flesh.

 

Tony looked up and caught sight of the little bunch of berries hanging overhead and smiled. Steve leaned down and Tony rolled onto the balls of his feet, crushing their lips together. Steve’s tongue slid over Tony’s lip and he was granted access to the warm cavern he had found he loved exploring. Tony tasted like coffee, a flavor that Steve had come to expect. Tony’s arms snaked around Steve’s neck pulling him lower as Tony walked backward toward the couch.

Knees hit the edge of the couch causing Tony to sit, pulling Steve down on top of him. The kiss wasn’t broken and Steve settled himself over Tony’s lap.

 

“Oh for the love of god! Get a room.” Clint’s voice broke through the fog in Steve’s brain. He pulled away from Tony and looked over at the short blond. Tony flipped him off.

“Oh, I see you’ve found some of the mistletoe.”

 

“Some?” Tony asked looking at the pile on the table. “You mean there is more?”

 

Clint laughed and walked away.

 

“I thought you said you got it all.” Tony said with a look at Steve.

 

“This isn’t going to be easy is it?” Steve said looking at Tony.

 

Tony was glaring at the mistletoe as if lasers would magically shoot out of his eyes and disintegrate the offending things. “No, I don’t think it is.”


	6. Wearing Each Others Clothing

Day 6 Wearing each other’s clothing

 

Tony walked into Sector 8 carrying his pocket armor. He had been out of the country on a business trip for Pepper and Steve had required that he take the armor, just in case. The truth was, Tony knew Steve was worried, Tony didn’t have the best track record when he was on his own. Someone was always trying to kill him or kidnap him. Sometimes both.

 

Tony hadn’t put up much of a fight when he had been told that he needed to be at the conference. Pepper had just found out she and Happy were expecting and the pregnancy wasn’t going as smoothly as some would like. Tony didn’t mind picking up the slack for her. After everything she had done for him, he could certainly help her out. Despite everything that had happened in their failed relationship, he still loved her. She was one of the best things that ever happened to him.

 

Sector 8 was a secluded little building in the S.H.I.E.L.D. compound. It was one story with two rooms and was pretty much strictly Bruce’s little slice of heaven. Very few people had access to it. Tony was one of them.

 

“Hey, Bruciekins, whatcha up to?” Tony asked from the doorway. The room was bright and clean, white walls and chrome.

 

Bruce looked up from the StarkTouch in his hands and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Just examining the properties of the shield,” he said, pointing the tablet in the direction of the large red white and blue shield. Tony had somehow missed it when he entered.

 

“Steve’s shield? He actually let it out of his sight?” Steve never let anyone mess with his shield.

 

Bruce pointed to the corner of the small room and Tony followed the line with his eyes. Steve was sitting at a small desk in the very corning of the room with his back to them. Tony could see the sketchbook on the desk and Steve’s arm moving.

 

“Hey, Mr. Freeze,” Tony said walking over to Steve and dropping the pocket suit. Steve didn’t respond and Tony noticed a small white cord trailing out of Steve’s ears. Tony smiled and left him be.

 

Something in a vial caught his eye and he grabbed it. “Hey, what’s this?” he asked turning to Bruce, shaking the vial. The glass started to heat up and Tony cursed and dropped it.

 

“No, don’t!” Bruce yelled diving under his desk.

 

Tony had a split second to get under the couch that sat across from Steve before a loud explosion shook the building. Tony watched in horror as Steve turned around and the building collapsed around him.

 

Coughing Tony pulled himself out from under the couch and crawled over to the pile of rubble that held Steve captive. “Steve!” Tony yelled, trying to move the fallen building out of the way. Panic was coursing through him. He couldn’t lose Steve, not after everything that had happened to finally get them to where they were.

 

“I’m here, Tony. I just can’t get out.”

 

Tony started moving more rubble at a faster rate, he didn’t have the suit, it was trapped with Steve but he could do something. A rock was removed and the pile started to fall again. Bruce grabbed Tony and pulled him away from the pile.

 

“Stop, Tony, there is no way to know if thats structurally sound. You could collapse everything on Steve and crush him.” Bruce was covered in plaster dust.

 

Tony turned panicked eyes on his friend. “Can’t you turn into the Hulk and get him out or something?” Tony wasn’t being fair, asking Bruce to turn into the other guy was a bit below the belt.

 

“The Hulk would bring the rest of the building down. We are just going to have to wait for help. I’ve already alerted S.H.I.E.L.D.”

 

Tony wasn’t very good at waiting, he didn’t want to think about Steve stuck in there. It was his fault. He knew better than to touch chemicals in Bruce’s lab. Jesus Christ, if someone had done that in his lab he would have flown off the handle, suited up and beat the ever living crap out of them.

 

Tony’s eyes went wide. The suit was perfect.

 

“Steve!” Tony shouted moving closer to the small hole he had created. “Can you get to the Iron Man suit?”

 

“Tony, what?” Steve paused for a second, “Yes, I can.”

 

“You need to put it on. You should be able to bust out with the repulsors.”

 

“Put it on?” Steve asked, his voice was muffled and slightly confused. “I can’t stand, Tony. I can barely kneel.”

 

“Thats ok, there is a latch on the case, kick it down with your foot and pull the handle up with your arms. The suit will conform to you, in any position.”

 

“Tony, are you sure about this?” Bruce asked watching from a safer distance.

 

“It will work, I promise.” Tony said, though more to himself than anyone else. The suit was made to conform, it was capable of adapting to anyone, Steve would be able to wear it. The sound of clicking told Tony Steve had followed his directions.

 

“I don’t know how to work this thing.” Steve said through the rubble.

 

“Aim your hands at the debris, Jarvis will do the rest.” Tony said. The panic was starting to subside. Steve was in the armor, he was safe. That was all that mattered.

 

“You may want to take cover!” Steve shouted as the sound of the repulsors warming up broke through the air.

 

Tony stood up, grabbed Bruce and ran to the side of the room that held Bruce’s desk and slid both Bruce and himself underneath it. Before the blast, he grabbed Steve’s shield and covered the small opening, blocking him and Bruce from the falling rubble. When the sounds of falling debris stopped Tony grabbed the shield and crawled out from under the desk, Bruce following behind him.

 

Steve stood in the middle of the room, the Iron Man suit folded around him. The helmet was retracted and Steve’s normally blond hair was white with dry wall. Tony hadn’t put the shield down yet.

 

“Jesus, Tony, you know better than to touch random vials.” Bruce said looking around at the mess that used to be his lab.

 

“I’ll pay for the damages.” Tony said, he wasn’t really listening to Bruce. He was too busy looking at Steve wearing his suit. “You look good in my suit,” He said moving forward.

 

Steve looked down and smirked, “Red and gold aren’t really my colors. Maybe if it were Rhodey’s suit. Like my shield, do you?” Steve said pointing to the large piece of Vibrainium in Tony’s hand. He had forgotten he was still holding it.

 

“Well, I do make it look good.” Tony said.

 

Steve shook his head and opened his mouth to reply, but closed it before anything came out.

 

“What in the actual fuck happened here?” Fury’s angry voice rang through the destroyed room. “Stark! I should have known. What did you do?”

 

“Why do you assume it was me?” Tony said indignantly, Fury may have been right, but that didn’t mean Tony wasn’t offended.

 

“Its always you.” Fury said, his one eye moved around the room surveying the damage. “You’re paying for the repairs Stark.” Fury walked out in a swish of black leather and all three men shrugged.

 

“I’m home!” Tony said with a smile. He released the shield and moved closer to his boyfriend.

 

Steve Rolled his eyes and pushed a button on the inside collar of the suit. “So I noticed.” Steve said as the suit retracted and he was left in his dusty clothing. A few small cuts littered his face.

 

“Sorry about blowing you up.” Tony said wrapping his arms around Steve and pulling him down into a kiss.

Steve smiled into the kiss. “It’s never dull when you’re around. That's for sure.”


	7. Day 7 Cosplay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter changed the rating. Read if you want.

Day 7: Cosplay

 

“I feel like an idiot.” Steve said pulling at the gold shirt he was wearing.

 

Tony looked over at him and smiled. “Please, you look great. You’re the best looking James T. Kirk there ever was.”

 

Tony had forced Steve to watch the original Star Trek show and movies. He liked them alright, but going to conventions, dressing up like the characters, that was a little more than Steve was ready for.

 

The Javits Convention Center was packed and Steve wasn’t sure he wanted to be anywhere near it. Thankfully, it wasn’t just him and Tony at the con. Bruce had dragged Thor along, though Thor had managed to escape dressing up. While Tony was dressed as Bones, --everyone knew Kirk and Bones were secretly a couple, according to him-- Bruce was dressed in a red shirt and talking with a fake scottish accent. It was amusing. Clint and Natasha had even joined in.

 

Both of them were dressed in a similar style gold uniform but different at the same time and they had ridges on their forehead. Klingons, Steve thought Clint had called them. He hadn’t remembered seeing the characters in the series he had watched. Tony had explained that the characters and the style of shirts were from The Next Generation show. Steve didn’t know that that meant. He couldn’t believe he had been dragged along with these crazy people to this convention. He hardly understood any of the references.

 

Bruce and Tony kept arguing about the merits of the Kirk and Spock vs the Kirk and Bones relationship. Bruce was of the mind that Kirk and Spock were an item, not Kirk and Bones. Steve didn’t give a damn. It hardly mattered to him which fictional characters were sleeping with whom.

 

Tony had looked to him to help him out on the argument, probably expecting Steve would take his side. “Wouldn’t you rather be with me than some pointy-ears bastard?” He had asked several times through the argument. Steve simply shrugged, not really sure how to answer the question.

 

Clint and Natasha had wandered off to look at the Trek weaponry. Because those two needed more sharp objects to inflict damage to unsuspected individuals, like they needed a Doctor Doom attack. Actually, Steve would welcome a Doombot attack if it meant he got out of the itchy gold uniform shirt and the too-starched black pants. He had grown to like his jeans.

 

“Steve look, it’s the Holodeck!” Tony was jumping up and down, you would have thought he was five years old at how excited he looked. Bruce and Tony took off to inspect the mock holodeck leaving Steve on his own. He really wasn’t sure what he was doing there.

 

He turned to inspect some strange looking game display, the chessboard was three tiers, but before he could reach it, someone grabbed his hand. Tony was dragging him to the holodeck mockup.

 

Steve sighed and stood next to Thor. Tony and Bruce flitted around the room. Theoretical equations and probabilities flying from their mouths as they debated whether the idea of a holodeck was possible. Bruce said no, Tony told Bruce he would make one just to prove him wrong. Steve would put money down that Tony would do it to. It was just the kind of thing he did. He never liked people telling him things were impossible. Tony was a futurist, he thought outside time and space, the only thing he was limited by was the tech of the time.

 

The day ended when Natasha was kicked out of the convention for fighting with some other Klingon. Tony huffed angrily and Steve sent a silent prayer to whomever was listening that it was all over.

 

“At least I got to keep the bat’leth,” Nat said swinging the weapon around in her hands. Steve ducked out of the way as the blades came within inches of his head. The rest of the group had backed away from Nat the second they saw it in her hands. Steve hadn’t known what it was at the time. He hadn’t known he needed to get out of the way of it.

 

The group spent the rest of the evening laughing at Tony and Bruce reenacting scenes from the original show and eating pizza. Tony was very convincing as Bones and Bruce’s scottish accent wasn’t too bad either. Though Steve hardly understood most of the cultural references, he found himself laughing and enjoying the behavior of the two.

 

Bruce and Tony were the most likeminded in the tower. Steve was happy Tony had a friend like him. When Steve wasn’t able to hold Tony’s interest, or indulge in Tony’s oddities, he had Bruce. It was a great friendship.

 

The group slowly went their separate ways, as the sun sank behind the horizon. Bright blue sky turned pink and orange and finally black. Steve and Tony were left alone on Tony’s personal floor. Steve was still in the itchy Captains uniform and he wanted to get out of it. He stood to head down to his floor, if only for a shower, when he found his way to the elevator blocked.

“I’ve been wanting to get you alone all day,” Tony said pushing Steve against the wall, running his hand down Steve’s chest and pulling at the hem of the shirt. “I’ve seen you pulling at this shirt. It’s driving you nuts isn’t it? Want me to help you out of it?” Tony ran his hands under Steve’s shirt and lifted it slightly revealing perfectly sculpted abs.

 

Steve nodded and raised his arms as the shirt was pulled up and over his head. Tony ran his fingers down Steve’s abs and over the bulge in his pants. They hadn’t done much more than a few light touches, Steve had been cautious.

 

“Oh God, Tony.” Steve said, unable to stop himself from bucking slighting into Tony’s hand. He didn’t want Tony to stop.

 

“What do you want Steve? Tell me what you want?” Tony ran his hand over Steve cloth-covered cock again and smirked.

 

“Fuck,” Steve said as Tony’s palm pressed down on his erection. Steve wasn’t in control of his mouth anymore.

 

“That’s not very descriptive, Steve. Should I tell you what I want?” Tony pulled the belt of Steve’s pants open and undid the button. The zipper slid down on its own as he pulled the the belt out of the loops. “I want to wrap my mouth around your cock. I want to run my tongue around the head of your dick, suck it into my mouth and I want to watch as you fuck my mouth.”

 

Steve’s pants dropped to the floor and Tony followed. His boxer briefs slid over his ass and down his thighs. Steve’s thoughts were wiped clean as a warm wet heat engulfed his dick. It was all he could do to keep from exploding the second he hit the back of Tony’s throat.

 

Maybe dressing like Captain Kirk wasn’t such a bad thing.


	8. Day 8 Shopping

Day 8 Shopping

 

“Steve, oh my goodness, this would be great. I think we should get this.” Tony said. His movements were quick and sporadic and Steve had a hard time following him. The shopping cart was already full.

 

“Tony, I don’t think Pepper needs a Power Wheel.” Steve said reading the sign.

 

“Not Pepper! Sharon.”

 

“I don’t think an unborn baby needs a Power Wheel either.” Steve said. They had already loaded the cart up with diapers.

“Cloth, because no niece of mine is going to have nasty chemicals touching their butt,” Tony had said indignantly when Steve had grabbed the pack of disposables. They hadn’t had paper diapers back in Steve’s day. He thought they were ingenious, Tony disagreed.

They had bought the bedding and the crib and mattress, along with bottles and pacifiers. The amount of clothing Sharon Hogan already had was astounding.

 

“Oh hey, what’s this?” Tony said wandering away from the Power Wheel display.

 

Steve pushed the cart and followed Tony to the display of strange objects he couldn’t begin to guess.

 

Tony picked up a cone shaped item with a bottle attached to it. It had buttons on the top. Tony, being the adorable five year old that he so often was, couldn’t help but push it.

 

“What the hell is this thing?” Tony asked again staring at the thing that was making violent sucking sounds.

 

Steve looked at the sign and pointed. “It says its a breast pump,” They really should have left the store after that but Steve couldn’t get that lucky.

 

“What do you suppose it does?” Tony asked, pressing the cone to Steve’s peck.

 

“Ow!” Steve said stepping away from the pump. “Get that thing away from me.” Steve rubbed his peck. That had been painful. He couldn’t imagine someone willingly using it.

 

“Oh, don’t be such a pussy.” Tony told him, placing the pump against his chest.

 

Steve watched in amusement as Tony’s face contorted into a look of pain.

 

“Sonofabitch!” Tony yelped. He dropped the pump and moved away from the display as fast as he could. “Fuck that. How could a woman use one of those things?” Tony muttered moving to the cash register.

 

“Finally,” Steve muttered as they started unloading the cart.

 

They had spent almost the whole day at Babies R Us, he had had no idea there was so many different things a baby would need. When he was growing up, clothing and diapers were the only true essentials. Now you needed car seats and monitors and cribs. The amount of clothing styles for a baby was, in his opinion, crazy. Babies hardly needed shoes. He also couldn’t get over the amount of different kinds of bottles and pacifiers.

 

Steve had always wanted kids, had even talked about it with Julie... Morrigan, he was still getting used to referring to his ex-wife as Morrigan. He wasn’t even sure if he could consider her an ex-wife. Could you consider a marriage to someone that faked their life and wasn’t even from earth real? He’d have to ask. They had talked about having kids, but Steve had put it off because his job was too stressful. He supposed he’d just have to get used to not having kids now that he had Tony were an thing. He doubted Tony would want kids. Maybe Clint and Natasha would have one one day and he would be able to be Uncle Steve.

 

Tony was overjoyed at the idea of being Uncle Tony, Steve had had to talk him out of buying the entire store a few times. Tony couldn’t wait to give Sharon everything. Steve was pretty sure Tony would figure out how to move the heaven and the stars for the little girl that hadn’t even come into the world yet.

 

Tony would be a great dad, Steve was sure of it. He wished things were different, that they could have kinds. Their life was just too much and he was pretty sure Tony was convinced that he would turn out like his dad.

 

Steve didn’t know the Howard Stark that Tony knew. It hurt him to know that Tony had never gotten to know the man that Steve had known. How one man could change so completely was amazing, but Steve understood what alcohol did to a person. He had watched it consume his father. Steve was sure that would never happen to Tony though, for one, Tony had been sober for almost a year.

 

“Hey, earth to Steve. Lets go.”

 

Steve hadn’t even realized that they had finished checking out. He had been so lost in the idea of him and Tony having kids. The idea made him sad. He really could see himself raising a family with Tony. They had only been together a few months, but he could still see it. Steve knew he loved Tony. He was pretty sure Tony loved him, even if they had yet to say it to each other.

 

Steve was quiet on the drive home, somehow the reality of everything had hit him. He would never have kids. He should have figured that out already, being the man out of time, a war hero and even everything he had given up to become Captain America. Still the idea of one day hanging up the stars and stripes and having a family had stuck with him. 

 

He could have a family. Tony and he could be a family, but offspring, that wasn’t in the cards for him and he wasn’t sure how to reconcile that. He wasn’t sure he was ready to, just yet. He really needed to stop thinking so far into the future. If his 70 year deep freeze had taught him anything, it was that plans change. Things don’t always happen the way they were planned.

 

“Hey,” Tony said, grabbing Steve’s hand and shocking him out of his melancholy thoughts. “What’s wrong?”

 

Steve shook his head. He wasn’t ready to talk to Tony about what was going through his head. “I think you’re going to be an amazing uncle.” Steve said, a true smile on his lips.

 

Tony beamed at him. “I can’t wait to meet her Steve. Its going to be so great. I’m going to build her her own Iron Man, well Iron Baby suit just to keep her safe.”

 

Steve laughed, Pepper was going to murder Tony before Sharon’s first birthday, he was sure of it. “You know the one thing we didn’t get for the nursery?”

 

“What’s that?” Tony asked wrinkling his brow.

 

“A night light.” Steve was still holding the registry paper they had printed out and not actually paid any attention to. The first thing on the paper was a nightlight. Steve thought it was a great idea.

 

“I’ll just make one.” Tony said. “In fact!” Tony looked at Steve, a giant grin on his face. “I’ll make a replica arc reactor. That way Sharon will always have her Uncle Tony’s heart.”

 

“When did you turn into such a sap?” Steve asked laughing when Tony gasped in horror. “That’s typically my job, Stark.” Steve said.

 

“You’re a bad influence on me Rogers, that's all there is too it.” They pulled into the garage and exited the vehicle.

 

“Yes, I can see that,” Steve pulled Tony to him, “maybe we should just end this now, before I ruin your bad boy rep with my wholesome sappy values.”

 

“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea,” Tony said standing on his tiptoes to press a kiss to Steve’s lips.

Steve smirked into the kiss. “Then its settled. You and I are over.” Steve deepened the kiss, letting his tongue slide over Tony’s full bottom lip until Tony opened his mouth. 

 

Tony pulled back slightly, “I think, we should sleep on it, before we make a final decision.” Tony hooked his finger into Steve’s belt loop and pulled him toward the elevator.


	9. Hanging out with friends

Day 9 Hanging out with friends

 

Steve had been acting weird since the trip to Babies R Us and Tony hadn’t known how to solve it. Steve hadn’t told him anything was wrong. Every time Tony asked, he would find a way to change the subject. Most of the time Tony let it slide. Whatever was bothering Steve was obviously not something he wanted to talk about just yet. Tony was sure that in time Steve would be comfortable talking to Tony about his problems.

 

Steve had a habit of shutting people out when he was having issues. He had grown used to ignoring his problems. He was the suffer in silence and allow others to think he's fine, kind of person. Tony knew this about Steve, and he was willing to allow Steve to stew in his issues until it got out of hand. Tony would pick up the pieces when Steve couldn't hold his facade together any longer. He loved Steve, but it wasn't his job to change him or even fix him. He was there to be supportive.

 

Steve had been away on a mission for S.H.I.E.L.D for the last week and Tony was itching to spend time with his boyfriend. He hoped that whatever had been causing Steve to be down, had been fixed, but he wasn’t going to hold his breath.

 

The door to his lab whooshed open and he looked up. Steve had returned and he was followed by someone.

 

“Hey look who I found in the living room.” Steve said as Darcy surveyed the lab.

 

“This place is bad ass.” The short brunette looked around at the holograms, her fingers dancing in the air as she played with one of the Iron Man models.

 

Darcy had been in the Tower once before but she had mostly stuck to Thor’s level. The wake had been hosted there and Tony had slipped away early.

 

“What brings you to my abode, pint size?” Tony said putting down the hologram of the mock holodeck he was trying to create. He was going to prove Bruce wrong. It was his newest mission.

 

“Just wanted to see Thor, but I couldn’t find him.” Darcy looked tired. The light Thor had always talked about, wasn’t there. Tony figured it had to do with Jane’s death. Her loss had hit everyone who had known her pretty hard. Tony still had nightmares about it. He had witnessed it after all.

 

“Did you check Bruce’s lab?” Steve asked walking over to Tony and kissing him hello.

 

“Yeah, no. I hadn’t thought about that.” Darcy said watching Steve wrap his arms around Tony. “You two are cute together.”

 

Tony wanted to glare at her. Everything about that statement should have had him pushing Steve away, straightening his clothing and pretending she never said anything. Tony couldn’t bring himself to do that, though. He liked the feel of Steve’s arms around him. Liked the touches and the kisses and he really didn’t care what other people thought.

 

“Jarvis, locate Thor.” Tony said, ignoring Darcy’s comment.

 

“Master Thor is on Master Bruce’s personal level.” The smooth voice of his A.I. filled the room.

 

“See, he’s with Bruce.” Tony had expected that. In the recent months, he rarely saw one without the other. It was like The Avengers had coupled off and they had refused to let each other out of their sights. The abductions had really messed with the group psyche.

 

Tony had panic attacks when Steve wasn’t around. He was always worried when Steve would get sent on a mission, that he wouldn’t come back. Tony’s greatest fear was that he would get a call from Fury or Hill that Steve had been killed or captured. He wasn’t the only one either. Clint and Natasha were rarely outside each others company. They didn’t go on separate missions anymore and while he could tell it annoyed Nat that Clint hovered, there was also a slight crack in her exterior when he wasn’t around.

 

“I’ll take you down there,” Steve said holding his elbow out for her.

 

Darcy smiled and wrapped her arm in his. “Thank you, Prince Charming. Why are you dating Tony again?”

 

Steve laughed and Tony followed them out, he wasn’t going to let Steve out of his sight. He had been away far too long.

 

“So, what actually brings you to New York?” Steve asked as the three of them entered the elevator.

 

“Oh, I was looking at colleges for my Masters. Its kind of lonely in New Mexico without... Anyway, I figured, Thor was here so I might as well see if there was a school that could handle me. At least I’d have a friend.”

 

“Oh hey, none of that. You have lots of friends. Any friend of Thor’s is a friend of ours.” Steve said pulling Darcy in close.

 

The elevator door opened and all three walked out. The place seemed deserted but Jarvis had said Thor was there. Steve and Tony hung back, unsure that they should do. Darcy however walked through the large spacious apartment.

 

“Do you think we should stop her?” Steve asked watching Darcy head down the hall.

 

Tony considered the idea, he was pretty sure he knew what she would find if she kept going. “Nope, its about time those two came clean about their relationship. Who better to out them than Darcy Lewis.” Tony smiled at the idea.

 

Steve scowled, “You are mildly evil, you know that right?”

 

Tony did know that and he loved it.

 

Darcy turned the corner and disappeared from sight. He wondered how long it would take before she found Thor. He hadn’t actually asked Jarvis if Bruce was with Thor. For all they knew Thor was asleep and by himself.

 

“SWEET MOTHER OF GOD!” Darcy’s below came from down the hall and Tony knew Thor was not alone. “My eyes!” Darcy ran back down the hall, her eyes wide as saucers. When she reached Steve, she buried her face in his chest.

 

Tony laughed. He knew Darcy wasn’t actually traumatized but her reaction had still been worth not telling her. He should be a little put off by the fact that Steve had his arms wrapped around her and her head was buried in his boyfriend’s chest. Again, Tony wasn’t.

 

“Darcy!” Thor said, coming out of the bedroom in a simple pair of boxers, Bruce followed in a pair of sleep pants that hung low on his slender hips.

 

“And what, pray tell were the two of you up to?” Tony asked sweetly.

 

Bruce rubbed the back of his head nervously. Thor just looked at Darcy. Both Bruce and Thor had a distinct bedhead look about them, Bruce’s mop could almost pass for freshly fucked. Tony was positively humming with excitement. He had been waiting for this. Not many people knew about Bruce and Thor or the possibility of them actually.

 

Bruce had one night during an alcohol induced pity party they had thrown themselves, admitted to his attraction to the demi god. It had been before Tony had gotten sober. It had also been the night he admitted his feelings for a blond super soldier. Together they had bonded over not only science but what they thought was unrequited love.

 

Tony wasn’t typically sappy, he left that for other, lesser mortals. But when it came to Steve, Tony was unable to keep himself in check. He loved the man, more than he had ever loved anyone before.

 

Bruce had been the same way when it came to Thor. The worst part for him had been the knowledge that The Other Guy didn’t like the demigod. For that reason, Bruce had had to keep his distance. The likelihood that The Hulk would make an appearance and beat the ever living crap out of Thor had been a true fear of his. Tony had been shocked when he had found out that The Hulk was Thor’s new personal body guard.

 

Though, if he was being honest with himself, it made sense that the feelings from Bruce would transfer to The Hulk. They were after all the same person. Tony had never, for one second believed that The Hulk was some mindless beast. He had always believed that Banner could control him, he had just needed the right motivation and people believing in him.

 

“We were asleep, Tony. Nothing more.” Bruce said moving to the kitchenette and starting the coffee pot.

 

It was evening, Tony hadn’t expected anyone to be asleep. He knew he kept odd hours but most of the people in the tower kept normal sleeping hours. Still the coffee smelled good.

 

“I don’t get it, if all you were doing was sleeping, why does Darcy have her head buried in Steve?”

 

“Bruce prefers to sleep naturally,” Thor said, still not moving.

 

That was a mental image Tony could have dealt without, still it wasn’t the worst thing Darcy could have walked in on. Darcy should count her lucky stars they were asleep.

 

Darcy turned her head to look at Thor, “There is nothing natural about walking in on your friend snuggled next to his very naked boyfriend.” Darcy pulled away from Steve when both he and Tony laughed.

 

“You knew! You knew what I would find and you didn’t warn me.” She hit Steve square in the chest making him laugh even harder.

 

“You barged into Bruce’s bedroom, looking for Thor. What did you expect to find?” Tony asked simply.

 

Darcy crossed her arms and huffed. The glare she tried to level at Tony fell short and the corner of her mouth twitched up. “At least it was a good excuse to cop a feel on the super soldier.”

 

“Hey!” Steve said.

 

“Oh don’t be like that, cupcake, you smell good too.” Darcy patted Steve where she had hit him and gave his peck a playful squeeze.

 

Tony could hardly disagree with her. Steve was still looking a little indignant, but Tony knew it was all show.

 

“So, are you two actually together? Or did Banner fall asleep as The Hulk?” Tony didn’t think Banner had Hulked out. He was pretty sure Jarvis would have alerted him if The Hulk was loose in his tower.

 

“The Doctor and I are an item now. Does this bother you?” Thor asked, mostly looking at Darcy. 

 

It had been five months since the fight with Morrigan, Tony felt that was adequate time to mourn the loss of a lover and possibly move on. As Thor was Asgardian and they typically celebrated life, not mourn the loss of it, he figured Thor was ready to move on as well.

 

“Nope,” Darcy said happily. She really did look happy for them. “Just, I don’t want to hear any of the details. Okay?”

 

Before the fight with Morrigan, before the murder of Jane, Thor and Bruce could hardly be in the same room. The Hulk took a special kind of pride in bringing Thor down a peg. That changed the day Tony and Nat had been rescued and he hadn’t seen it coming. It was a nice change though.

 

Bruce had come back into the room carrying two mugs of coffee, one he sipped, the other he handed to Tony.

 

“Thanks, Bruce.” He said as he sipped the drink.

 

“What brings you all the way out here Darcy?” He said motioning for them all to have a seat.

 

Darcy planted herself between Steve and Tony. Tony grumbled but let it slide. He actually really liked Darcy. From what he knew about her, she was smart and sassy. He could see bits of it coming out, but it was still masked by sadness.

 

The night passed easily with Darcy, Bruce and Thor. They had ordered pizza and watched movies. Darcy had demanded compensation for walking in on Bruce and Thor. Thor had done everything he could to get the fiery brunette to laugh, which hadn’t been that hard to do. Darcy was a happy person, even if she missed her best friend.

 

“I think its time to call it a night.” Steve said looking down at his lap. Darcy had decided to use him as a pillow during the movie and had fallen asleep. Tony was tucked under Steve’s arm on the other side.

 

Tony moved from his seat though he didn’t want to. He was starting to fall asleep on Steve himself. The super soldier was just too comfortable for his own good.

 

Steve stood with Darcy in his arms, deciding it was too late to wake her and send her to wherever she was staying. Instead he took her to his floor and laid her to rest in his bed. He would spend the night with Tony.

 

He’d been away for a week and he wanted to spend time with his boyfriend. He had expected to have the whole day with him. Steve hadn’t expected to find Darcy wondering around the tower, nor had he expected his night to be filled with hanging out with her, Thor and Bruce. Not that he hadn’t had fun being with his friends and making a new one. Steve liked Darcy, he really did. She was fun and sweet and just a touch flirty.

 

She had kind of reminded him of Peggy in her timeless classic look and her fiery attitude. It was a welcome sight to see. Were it not for his love of Tony, he could have seen himself with someone like the little brunette that occupied his bed. He could also see loving her like the little sister he never knew he wanted.

 

Shutting the door, he told Jarvis to wake them when Darcy woke up, and he went to join his boyfriend on the couch.

 

“Not exactly the evening I had expected.” Tony said, snaking his arms around Steve’s waist and pulling him flush.

 

“I’m sure we can make up for it.” Steve said running his fingers down the side of Tony’s face. He loved the feel of the stubble. “Seeing as how my bed is full, perhaps we should...”

 

Tony pulled Steve to the elevator without letting him finish his sentence. Yes, hanging out with his friends had been a great way to spend the evening, but a night with his boyfriend, that was what Steve was really looking forward to.


	10. Day 10 Animal Ears

Day 10 Animal Ears

 

Tony lay on the couch, the T.V was set to a talk show, The View he was pretty sure. Darcy sat next to him sipping coffee and arguing with the blond co-host. Tony was far too sick to care. Steve was training new recruits at S.H.I.E.L.D and Fury wouldn’t let him have the day off to fuss over Tony so Darcy had been wrangled into it.

 

He had tried like hell to pretend he was fine, but Steve finding him passed out on the floor of his lab with a fever had not been part of his plan. Tony hated showing weakness, he hated being sick and he hated having people fuss over him.

 

He had been thankful that Fury wouldn’t allow Steve to stay behind, but of course the traitor had enlisted his new best friend to keep an eye on him. Steve and Darcy had a weird friendship. She had taken to him almost instantly and Steve was always one that fell for strong willed women. Many people would be worried about the relationship he and Darcy had, but Tony saw it for what it was. The way they interacted, the way they played off each other, it was like a brother and sister. Darcy had been in the tower for a little over two weeks and had pretty much taken over Steve’s personal level. Which pretty much meant Steve had moved into Tony’s personal level. Not that Tony minded. It was just sudden.

 

Tony Shivered and turned over on the couch. The motion was not lost on Darcy and she got up, setting her cup on the table and grabbed a handful of blankets. Before Tony could protest he was smothered by a few throws and a rather large down blanket that smelled strongly of Steve.

 

“Where did you get this blanket?” Tony asked pressing his nose to the comforter. He loved the smell of Steve’s cologne. It was spicy and warm and embodied masculinity. Darcy had been right her first day in the tower. Steve smelled good.

 

“I took it off of his bed. I haven’t been sleeping in it so it still smells like him.” She stuck a hat on his head and smiled down at him.

 

“Wait, if you aren’t sleeping in his bed, where are you sleeping?” The whole reason Steve had started spending the nights with Tony was because Darcy was in his room. Steve hadn’t had the heart to move her to a guest room, no matter how many Tony had. They were less personal and Darcy was a girl, she needed her space according to Mr. 1940s.

 

“The couch. Don’t tell him. I make sure to put all the blankets and pillows away every morning so he doesn’t know.” Darcy worried her lip and looked down her wide brown eyes at Tony.

 

“I’m not going to tell him. But why are you using the couch? You know he doesn’t mind. It’s practically your floor now anyway.”

 

Darcy shrugged but didn’t meet Tony’s eyes.

 

“What is it pint size?” Tony moved to sit up, Darcy landed on the seat beside him and Tony covered her in the blanket to.

 

“Just kind of waiting for you guys to get sick of me and send me back to New Mexico.” She said, not looking at Tony.

 

“Not going to happen, kido. Everyone in the tower loves you. Even Nat. Besides, Steve would never allow you to be kicked out. Pretty sure I’d have to deal with super soldier level anger if I tried to kick his adopted little sister out.”

 

Darcy laughed.

 

“Have you ever seen him mad? No joke, its scary.” Tony thought back to the first time he had met Steve. The fight on the helicarrier had not been either of their best moments. They had both said some things that hurt the other. They had also somehow moved passed it. He never wanted to see Steve that angry again. He was downright lethal when that angry.

 

“I’m being stupid, I know. I just kind of feel misplaced right now. With Jane’s death, I lost something I didn’t realize I had, ya know? It was like I lost my family.” Darcy looked down at a bracelet on her wrist and twisted it. Tony had noticed her habit of playing with it and hadn’t thought anything of it. Tony recognized it though, Jane had worn it. He had caught sight of it the day she had been brought into the cave. The glow of the cage had illuminated the tiny silver band. It wasn’t anything special, Tony hadn’t given it a second thought, until he looked at Darcy’s wrist.

 

“Well, you’re kind of stuck with us kid, might as well get used to it. You can even have you own level if sharing with Steve isn’t what you want. Not that he’s ever actually down there.”

 

“If I had a boyfriend like you, I’d probably never been in my own apartment either,” Darcy laughed. “Sharing with Steve is fine. I just feel weird sleeping in his bed.” 

Tony understood that. He didn’t much care for sleeping in someone elses bed either. The medicine Darcy had forced down his throat had started kicking in halfway through their conversation and he could feel himself losing the battle for sleep. The yawn he let slip had Darcy forcing him back down on the sofa, a pillow placed behind his head. Darcy told him him to sleep and went back to the chair she had been sitting on to watch the rest of the show.

 

**

 

Steve was antsy when he got back to the tower, he had been at work most of the day and hadn’t heard from Darcy once. A typical day at work had him hearing from Tony and Darcy at least once a day each. He hadn’t expected to hear from Tony, considering how sick he was. Darcy had been put in charge of taking care of him, he had expected to hear from her. By the time he had gotten off work, Fury was cursing making him come it.

 

Steve wasn’t the nicest person when he was worried. He had no way of knowing what was going on with Tony and he had snapped at pretty much everyone that was within shouting distance. His poor recruits had run for cover when he dismissed them for the day. He knew Tony could take care of himself (most days) and he trusted Darcy, but since Morrigan it had become difficult to let Tony out of his sights.

 

The ride up to the top floor had felt like it took forever but when he got off, he was met with the most amazing sight. Tony was passed out on the couch, a panda hat with ears doned his head. Steve recognized the hat at once. He had bought it for Darcy on one of their outings around New York, it was March, but it had still been really cold and he had wanted to keep her from getting sick. She had loved the hat instantly. He had laughed himself silly seeing her wear it. But it was even cuter on Tony.

Darcy was asleep on the loveseat, a small throw blanket wrapped tightly around her. Steve went to wake her and his skin burned touching her. He didn’t need to be a doctor to know that she had caught what Tony had.

 

Opting not to wake her, Steve decided to get a few blankets from Tony’s room. The small throw was not enough to keep her warm. Jarvis quarantined the top floor and Steve stayed up all night watching over his boyfriend and his little sister.


	11. day 11 wearing kigurumis

Day 11 Wearing kigurumis

 

“How did this happen?” Tony asked, his voice muffled through the suit.

Steve shrugged but realized too late that Tony had no way of seeing the movement through the costume he was wearing. He didn’t even know who Pikachu and Charmander were. Steve turned to look at Tony and knocked a poor lady over with his tail.

 

“I am so sorry,” he said, bending to help the lady up, his arms were too short and he couldn’t reach. “This is so stupid!” Steve huffed, turning back to Tony.

 

“This is all your fault, you know that right?” Tony said, pointing a fuzzy yellow finger at Steve.

 

“MY FAULT!” Steve yelled and looked around as the room around him had grown silent at his outburst. “My fault?” He said quieter, inching closer to Tony. “You are the one that bet against Darcy. You’re the one that gave her free reign to pick our punishments. You’re the one that brought me into this.” Steve growled as a little kid came up and kicked him.

 

“Well, you’re the one that brought in the stray and let her stay!” Tony whispered back, dancing out of reach of a little boy.

 

“She is not a stray, do not call her that.” Steve said angrily. Steve allowed Tony a lot of platitude but he wasn’t about to let Darcy be part of that.

 

Tony raised his fur covered yellow hands in surrender. “I’m sorry, that was mean. You know I love Darcy. She’s a great kid. I’m just mad I lost the bet.”

 

Steve understood Tony’s irritation at losing the bet. Tony never lost at anything. It had been a simple enough bet. All Tony had to do was read The Hunger Games and not require the second book right away. He had been giving Clint and Darcy crap about their excitement for the second movie. But he hadn’t read the books.

 

Darcy had bet that he would be singing a different tune after reading just the first book. She bet him that if he weren’t itching to read the second book just hours after finishing the first, that she would do whatever he wanted for one whole day. The bet went both ways though. She had handed over the book and he had gone off to read it. She had locked him out of Jarvis and told Pepper and Steve about the bet.

 

Steve had broken the bet, that was why he was there. Tony had finished the book and begged him to get the second book without telling Darcy. Steve was a sucker for Tony’s pout, unluckily for him. Darcy had caught him with the book and busted Tony. They had both been forced into the Pokemon getups.

 

Darcy had been doing childrens birthday parties for money, something she had hide from everyone in the tower. Not something easy to do considering who she lived with.

 

Their time at the birthday had ended. Darcy had shown up half way through the party and mocked him and Tony. She had laughed at the pair of them. Perhaps the highlight had been Pikachu flipping Darcy off.

 

“Hey, I want to talk to you about something,” Tony said sliding into bed next to Steve, who had his sketch book propped up on his knees.

 

Steve looked up from the drawing he had been working on, a picture of Tony forever immortalized in the Pikachu costume. He had actually had a lot of fun watching Tony interact with the kids at the birthday party. He had just hated being dressed up in those goofy costumes. He was never getting in the way of Darcy and Tony’s bets again. Steve had learned his lesson.

 

“What about?” Steve asked, setting the pencil and book on the bedside table.

 

“I wanted to talk to you about permanently moving into my-- our level of the tower. You’ve already mostly moved in, but I was thinking, maybe Darcy would like her own actual level. She’s clearly not going anywhere, and I don’t want her to. But I think she should have a real bed to sleep in. I don’t think its right that she’s still sleeping on the couch.”

 

“Sleeping on the couch?” Steve asked, his eyebrows knit in confusion. Darcy had been living in his apartment for a month, he had never heard that she was sleeping on a couch. She had a perfectly unoccupied king size bed at her disposal. Steve had made it perfectly clear that he had no problems with her sleeping there. He hadn’t set foot in what used to be his bedroom in over two weeks.

 

“Did I say she was sleeping on the couch? No, you must have misheard me.”

 

“Why is she sleeping on the couch?”

 

Tony huffed. “She thinks we are going to kick her out. I tried to tell her it would never happen.” Tony called as Steve jumped off the bed and left the room.

 

The trip down to his... Darcy’s level was slow in Steve’s mind. He didn’t understand why she felt they would get rid of her. He didn’t think he had ever given her a reason to believe that she was disposable. He loved her, she was a little sister he had always wanted and the rest of The Avengers felt the same way.

 

The room was low lit when he entered, Tony hot on his heels, trying to stop him. Darcy lay on the couch, pillows and blankets he kept in the linen closet for extra warmth spread out around her. The T.V was on and low. She looked up when Steve cleared his throat.

 

“Holy shit!” She shouted as she sat up, clutching the blanket to her chest. “You scared the living crap out of me. For a big dude, you make very little nose.”

 

“Why are you on the couch?” Steve asked stepping closer to her.

 

Tony stayed in the background, Steve knew he was there but he didn’t say anything.

 

“Ummm...”

 

Steve knelt down in front of Darcy, “Tomorrow, I will come down here and get everything that’s mine. I’m going to be living with Tony, on his level. This is your floor now.” Steve wasn’t going to make a big deal about her feelings. He just wanted her to know that she was not going anywhere.

 

Darcy didn’t say anything, her eyes were bright with shock. 

 

“I think you are stuck with us.” Tony said from the shadows and Steve smiled brighter.

 

“I’m still going to kick your ass, you overgrown nightlight. I told you not to tell him.” Darcy threw a pillow at Tony and Steve laughed.

 

“I’ll have Pepper get a new bed, if you want. But this is your place now, Darcy. No more sleeping on the couch. I’ll even make sure you get a different bedspread.”

 

“No! I like the stars and stripes. I think everything is fine the way it is. You don’t need to redecorate a floor for me.”

 

“The stars and stripes comforter was a joke. Steve and I were...”

 

“Not friends when I moved in and you were being an ass. After I moved out, the first time, I had expected you to redo everything in here.” Steve said looking at Tony. It was all true.

 

When The Avengers had moved into the tower and made it theirs, Tony had designed each of their rooms. Bruce’s was re-enforced as was Thors, for various reasons. Clint had the level with the highest ceilings for obvious reasons. Natasha’s and Steve’s were the most normal, though Tony had had a lot of fun with the color scheme for Steve’s level. Though mostly blue, there were a lot of patriotic undertones. His bedroom had started out as a giant American flag. The only thing Steve had kept from the first redo was the comforter because it was actually very pretty in the vintage flag design. The rest of the room had been repainted by Steve.

 

“Well, when you moved out, I’d already figured out my feelings for you and I had wanted to preserve something. I had never in a million years expected us to be possible.”

 

Steve couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at his lips at hearing Tony’s confession.

 

“God! You two are so fucking sappy. If I didn’t love you both so much, it would make me wretch all over. I’m fine with leaving everything the way it is. As long as you’ve never had sex in that bed.” Darcy leveled a look at Steve and he could feel his face heat slightly. “With anyone.” Darcy said.

 

“I promise.” Steve said, thankful he had replaced the mattress when he had left Julie... Morrigan... His ex wife.

 

“Awesome! I don’t have to burn it then. I like that bedspread. It reminds me of this guy, he’s kind of my big brother.”

 

Steve couldn’t help the smile that was already on his lips grow even more. It had been so long since he’d had a family. A real family. He had found it with The Avengers and had thought he had found it with his ex. But with Tony and Darcy, he was sure.

 

“I’m going to bed,” she said standing. “I’m sure you both know the way out. Next time you come see me, you should probably put pants on. While you in nothing but you skivvies is hot, you’re kind of like my brother and that’s just wrong.”

 

Steve looked down, he hadn’t realized he was only in his boxer briefs. He had been so distracted by what Tony had told him, he had ignored the fact that he was in a lady’s presence in his underwear. Tony laughed and Darcy waved them both goodnight and walked down the hall to what was now her room.

 

“So, you’re moving in?” Tony asked walking back to the elevator with Steve.

 

“Yes.”


	12. Making out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mrs.TonyStark helped me write this chapter and I fucking love her for it.
> 
> I'm not sure anyone is reading this but oh well.

Day 12 Making out

 

The sun was low in the sky, soft shades of orange and pink painted the view from Stark Tower. Tony swung his hips to the beat of ACDC’s Back in Black. It was a favorite of his.

 

Tony was in the communal kitchen on the communal floor. Each of their personal floors had a small kitchenette but for real cooking, for a romantic dinner, Tony needed the big kitchen. He wasn’t worried about being bothered. Everyone in the tower was gone. It was common of late to be the only one in the tower.

 

Steve was always at work, something big was happening with S.H.I.E.LD. Clint and Natasha had been away on assignments more days than they had been home. Steve had stayed behind for the recruits. Tony was pretty sure Steve was ok with staying behind. The super soldier didn’t seem all that keen on seeing action lately.

 

They had become very domestic recently. They spent their free time indoors, Tony in the lab redesigning any kind of tech he could get his hands on (mostly though he worked on the holodeck idea) and Steve drawing. They went to bed at decent times, together. Steve woke up just shy of the asscrack of dawn, Tony following a few hours later. On days when Tony’s sleep issues got the better of him, he would spend the night down in his lab, tinkering. Steve always came down with him, despite being told he didn’t need to. Tony didn’t fight it too much. He liked having Steve around. He kept him company, even if the only thing that gave away Steve’s presence was the soft snores that came from the pile of blankets in the corner of his lab.

 

The tower was quiet except for the music and the sounds of chopping. Tony had learned recently that while he loved having the Avengers in the tower with him, he loved when it was just him and Steve.

 

Natasha and Clint hadn’t been home in well over a month. He missed the verbal spars with Clint but he was perfectly happy they weren’t there. Thor had taken Bruce to Asgard and Darcy was nowhere that Tony cared about. 

 

Steve and Tony had been together seven months, been living together, on the same level of the tower for two of those months. There was still one thing that had never been said between them. Tony had finally figured out that he was ready and he was going to tell Steve over a nice romantic dinner.

 

Strong arms wrapped around Tony’s waist, stilling his movements. He hadn’t heard the elevator ping, but that was probably because the music was just a touch on the too loud side. Soft warm lips pressed against the back of his ear, and Tony couldn’t stop the shiver that ran through his body even if he wanted to. The lips slowly trailed down Tony’s neck, sucking lightly on the skin. Tony loved the feel of Steve’s lips on his skin.

 

Steve’s body pressed Tony against the counter, locking him in place. Unable to do much, he allowed himself to feel. The large hands, slid down Tony’s arms, hips ground into Tony’s back and he knew what Steve was feeling. He felt it too.

 

“Steve,” Tony said, pushing back against Steve.

 

Steve inhaled, “I don’t know what is turning me on more, the smell or the way you’re dancing.”

 

Usually, Tony would balk at a comment like that in connection to him. At this moment, however; the feelings, both emotional and physical kept that kind of reaction at bay. “How long were you watching me?” Tony let his head lean back against Steve’s shoulder, enjoying the hands gripping at him.

 

“Long enough.”

As much as Tony enjoyed the feeling of Steve’s rock hard cock against his ass, he wanted more. Turning around in his arms, he wrapped his arms around Steve’s neck, bringing his mouth to his so he could properly kiss Steve’s questing lips. Groaning, Steve lifted Tony up onto the counter and pulled his legs to wrap around his slender hips.

Tony slid to the edge of the counter, his legs wrapped around Steve, his ankles linked at Steve’s knees. Steve gripped at Tony’s ass and pushed against him. Tony knew Steve could feel his cock pressing against the material of his pants..

“Steve...” Steve’s mouth trail down Tony’s neck. “I love you, Steve.”

Steve’s hands froze on Tony’s ass, his face nuzzled into Tony’s neck, but before he could respond, he heard Darcy’s voice bouncing through the level along with another voice he wasn’t quite sure he recognized, even if it did sound oddly familiar over the loud rock music.

“You... shook me allllll night loooong! Yeah, youuu shook me allll night looong!”

Steve took a step back but Tony was too slow to jump off the counter before Darcy and her new friend entered the kitchen. He was just sliding off when Darcy stopped, her guest bumping into her.

 

“Hey, whoa! What’s with the sudden stopping?” The man behind Darcy asked. Steve didn’t know him, but he looked familiar.

“Jarvis, mute.” Tony instructed, turning to clean up.

 

Dinner was now ruined. Well, Steve wouldn’t say it wasn’t so much ruined but it had been preempted. Steve could see by the sour expression Tony had, that he was less than thrilled with their interruption. Steve understood and agreed wholeheartedly.

“That was a good song!” Darcy said, her eyes sliding over the scene before her. A knowing smile on her face. She what she had walked in on and Steve wanted to scream. Instead he focused on the man behind her.

 

“Who’s this, Darce?”

 

Darcy looked over at her new friend and back at Steve. “Seriously, you don’t see it! I ran into him downtown and I asked him how he could possibly have your face, and he had no idea what I was talking about! So, I brought him home to meet the legendary Captain America. Don’t tell me you can’t see it either.”

Steve shook his head, shifting slightly and walking past Tony over to Darcy and the newcomer. “See what?”

“He looks just like you!” Steve couldn’t see it. “Oh, come on! He may not be as grown up as you are, but look!” She grabbed Johnny’s face and pulled him closer to Steve, grabbing his face as well. “It’s like looking in a mirror. He’s like a Mini You, Steve!”

“Hey, I’m not a mini anything!”

“Tony! Tell them you see it!”

Tony barely glanced over. “I don’t see it.” He had barely given more than a passing look before turning back to the food on the counter. Steve sighed, pulling his face from Darcy’s hand and offering it to her friend.

“I’m Steve Rogers. And you are?” Darcy introduced the two of them, a look on her face that told Steve she was still baffled that no one but her saw that Johnny and he looked alike.

 

Steve led them out of the kitchen, doing his best to pretend like Darcy hadn’t interrupted anything, but when she had a moment to apologize, Steve told her not to worry about it. He told her they were about to have a quiet dinner alone together and her eyes about bugged out of her head.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! We’re going! Say bye, Johnny!” Johnny was instantly whooshed out of the communal living room.

“Bye, Johnny,” he joked as he was pulled into the elevator.

Steve shook his head watching the pair go, he shoul have realized who the boy was. It took him a minute to place the name, but he knew who Johnny Storm was. Had heard stories about Clint and his ex lighting the town on fire... Literally. Steve took a deep breath and headed back into the kitchen where Tony was silently setting the table. “I’m glad you kept cooking. I didn’t want to ruin dinner.”

“It’s not ruined.”

Steve didn’t like the depressed tone in Tony’s voice. Coming up to him, he wrapped his arms around Tony from behind and whispered into Tony’s ear.

“I love you too, Tony.” Tony instantly relaxed in Steve’s arms. Steve knew it wasn’t how Tony had expected the night to go. Still Steve finally got to tell Tony exactly how he felt about him. It was almost as if Darcy’s intrusion hadn’t even happened.

Tony turned in Steve’s arms. “I know it’s taken me awhile, but...”

Steve shook his head. “No. It was perfect.” He laughed. “I’m just sorry Darcy and The Human Torch had to come and interrupted our moment.” They knew about the Fantastic Four, Tony was friends with Reed, but Steve had never met the group.

“That’s who that was? I wasn’t really paying attention. You’d think I would have recognized him,” Tony laughed, wrapping his arms around Steve. They barely reached around, his hands splayed over the broad muscles of Steve’s back. “Looks nothing like you.”

 

Steve chuckled. “Not in the slightest.” He smiled, leaning down and letting his lips brush softly over Tony’s. “Tonight was perfect!”

 

They hadn’t eaten dinner yet, but it didn’t matter. Tony’s preparation and the words both of them had been waiting it seemed like forever to hear was worth it. Not even another interruption would ruin it.

 

“There’s ice cream after this.” Tony said pecking Steve on the lips and releasing him from his hold. “Lets eat.”


	13. Eating Ice Cream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to post

Day 13 Eating Ice cream

 

Tony lit the candles on the table, laid out the silverware and placed the plates on the table while Steve was showing the unwelcomed guests out. Tony was mad, not at Steve, not even really at Darcy and her friend. He hadn’t bothered looking up to see who she had brought over. It was his fault they had been interrupted. They had been on the communal floor and he hadn’t thought to lock it down.

 

Everyone else in the tower was gone, but he hadn’t accounted for Darcy and he should have. She had a habit of popping up when he least expected it. She was a great addition to the tower and made everyone laugh, but sometimes Tony wished she wasn’t so attached to his boyfriend. It wasn’t fun being cockblocked by the adopted little sister of the man you loved.

 

It also wasn’t fun to tell that man you love them only to not hear it back. Steve’s reaction to hearing those three little words hadn’t been what Tony had expected and then Darcy had come in. Tony had decided to pretend that he wasn’t a nervous wreck. That he wasn’t scared out of his mind that Steve wouldn’t say it back, he’d never told anyone that he loved them. Not the way he loved Steve anyway, he loved Pepper and Happy, but he wasn’t in love with them. Steve, he was in love with. Instead he kept quiet and finished the dinner he had been working on. Nothing too fancy, Tony wasn’t a trained chef, but he had learned how to cook a lamb chop.

 

“I’m glad you kept cooking, I didn’t want to ruin dinner.”

 

“Its not ruined.” Tony hadn’t realized Steve had come back into the kitchen. He tried to keep his emotions out of his voice, but he knew he’d failed by the sigh that came from Steve. Tony wasn’t able to hide anything from Steve.

 

Steve’s strong arms wrapped around Tony, causing Tony to stop what he was doing. “I love you too, Tony,” Steve whispered in his ear, making him relax. Three little words had never been so amazing to hear in all of Tony’s life. He felt lighter, like a giant weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Steve loved him. Steve loved HIM. Tony had everything he ever dreamed of. The only thing he ever dreamed of.

 

“I know its taken me awhile but...” Tony said, tuning in Steve’s embrace, so that he could look into the eyes of the man who loved him.

 

Steve just shook his head. “No, it was perfect.”

 

Tony’s heart swelled at the little chuckle that Steve let slip.

 

“I’m just sorry that Darcy and The Human Torch had to come in and interrupt our moment.”

 

“That’s who that was? I wasn’t really paying attention. You’d think I would have recognized him,” Tony let the nervousness escape him in the form of a laugh. He had been so angry about the intrusion that he hadn’t even looked up at the person Darcy had brought with her. He would have recognized Johnny instantly, had he been paying attention. He didn’t know the Torch all that well, but he knew what the guy looked like. He was friends with Sue and Reed but he had never met Ben or Johnny. They ran in different superhero circles.

 

Tony wrapped his arms around Steve, returning the embrace. His arms barely reached around. “Looks nothing like you.”

 

They both laughed, “Not in the slightest.” Steve leaned down and captured Tony’s lips in a soft kiss. Nothing like the kisses from before. It was gentle and sweet and chaste. “Tonight was perfect.”

 

Tony smiled. “There’s ice cream after this.” Steve had a weakness for ice cream and Tony knew when to exploit that weakness. He kissed the small smile on Steve’s face and released his hold on the man. “Let’s eat,” he said, pulling out the chair and guiding Steve to sit.

 

Dinner was silent, Tony was too lost in thought to talk much and Steve didn’t offer much to the prospect of conversation. He still couldn’t believe that Steve had said it back. Tony had hoped that he would, but he had never believed that a man like Steve could love someone like him. Steve was perfect. He was kind and caring and the kind of person that would dog sit for you when you went out of town. He was a good person. Tony wasn’t. Tony was crude and crass and only out for himself.

 

He didn’t understand what Steve saw in him. He didn’t know what he had done to deserve such a wonderful man, yet he had him. Tony was overwhelmed.

 

“Hey,” Steve said, rubbing his foot up Tony’s leg, “what’s up?”

 

Tony shook his head and smiled. “Nothing Steve. Nothing at all.” Tony could tell Steve didn’t believe him, but he wasn’t lying. Nothing was wrong. Everything was perfect and that was what confused Tony. He had always thought he had the perfect life, everything he ever wanted. Then Steve came along and threw that all out. It took a man from the past, long since forgotten to make Tony realize what he was missing in his life, a void he had been trying to fill with lovers and alcohol and all kinds of recreational drugs in his youth. It took a man he had never expected to meet, a man his father had compared him to countless times, to show Tony what love was.

 

It was all kind of surreal, if Tony was being honest with himself. Something he had learned over time that he rarely was. Steve made him want to be better, want to live a better life. Steve held him to the standards he held everyone to, he didn’t make excuses for their behaviors, but he didn’t accept them either. Tony had changed the day Steve had stepped into his life. He hadn’t realized that it was happening until it had happened.

 

He had fallen in love with Steve way before they started dating. A part of Tony had always been in love with Steve Rogers, and he had never let himself believe there was a possibility, never let himself hope that one day he would have that man's love as well.

 

Steve stood up, breaking Tony from his thoughts. “I’m pretty sure you mentioned ice cream.” Steve grabbed the plates and cleared the table when Tony nodded.

 

Tony couldn’t help but stare at Steve’s back side as he sauntered into the kitchen with the dishes. Steve had an amazing ass and Tony had no problem admiring it.

 

Steve appeared again holding two spoons and a tub of peanut butter chocolate ice cream. “I’m thinking, we take this to our room and finished what we started before Darcy came home.”

Not taking even a moment to think about it, Tony was out of his chair, wrapping his arm around Steve’s waist, placing a kiss on Steve’s neck. He didn’t stop with just that either as they walked into the bedroom.

“Ice cream, remember?”

Tony snickered as they stepped into the elevator to go to their level, absentmindedly pressing the floor button. “Oh right.” He opened the carton and grabbed a spoon. “Why don’t we get started?”

He dipped the spoon into the ice cream and offered it to Steve. He smiled as Steve opened his mouth and took the bite of ice cream into his mouth, a soft sigh escaping his mouth.

“Mmmm,” Tony smiled, meshing himself against Steve’s side. “Taste good?”

Steve nodded and Tony licked off the spoon slowly. “Mmmm, very good.”

Finally the elevator door opened to their floor and Tony stepped out with Steve, leading the way to their room. He remembered to lock down the floor, telling Jarvis no one was allowed onto their floor until further notice. He wasn’t risking another interruption, not for anything in the world. He even shut the door behind them, not that it really mattered if the level was on lockdown, but force of habit.

Steve sat on the bed near the headboard and Tony crawled up on the bed, kneeling in front of him. “You know, we really didn’t need two spoons.” He took the spoon Steve was still holding and tossed it on the nightstand, smiling back at him. Dipping the spoon back into the carton, he held it up to Steve’s lips again and let him take the bite.

Some fell down onto Steve’s lap. “Oh, sweet Jesus! That’s cold!”

Steve moved to find something to clean his pants off with and Tony took his wrist in his to stop him. “Allow me.” Leaning down, Tony took the frozen desert into his mouth, making sure to push his face into Steve’s lap against his cock, just to get him turned on, get them both going like they had been earlier.

Tony felt Steve’s cock lurch up toward him at the attention. Smiling to himself, he looked up at Steve. “May as well take these off now.” Shifting slightly, Steve let Tony unzip his pants for him, undoing the clasp and slipping his hands under the band, he tugged at them when Steve lifted his hips so they could be pulled off. Tony looked back up at him, a wicked idea forming in his head, it might get a little dirty, but fun too.

He took the ice cream from Steve and laid it down on the nightstand with the spoon in it. “Lay down,” he suggested, warranting a questioning look from Steve as he started unbuttoning his shirt. “I’m hungry,” Tony growled, still sure Steve was still confused, but loving how he went along anyway.

Tossing his shirt aside after Tony had gotten it off, he picked up the spoon scooping out just enough ice cream. “I know you said it was cold, but I promise you, it won’t be for long. I guarantee you’ll be melting it before I even get my mouth on it.”

He slid the ice cream onto Steve’s chest, feeling his cock lurch when Steve involuntarily jerked, the ice cream already starting to melt. “Tony!” He licked his lips when Steve gasped out his name and leaned over to lick the melting dessert before it melted onto the bed.

“I don’t think I can handle that, Ton--” Steve’s words were cut off by Tony trailing some ice cream over his stomach. “Tony!” Tony watched as Steve lifted his hips slightly off the bed.

Licking up the small amount he’d left there, he swirled his tongue around Steve’s belly button as he let his hand dip down, gripping Steve’s cock through his boxer briefs. Groaning, he decided that was enough foreplay. He had to have Steve now. After their brief, yet interrupted make out session in the kitchen, and now how easily he was turning Steve on right now, he had to make love to him. Now.

“I’ve got to have you now, Steve. I’ve got to make love to you.”

Steve lifted his hips off the bed and let Tony pull them down and tossed them aside. Standing off the bed, Tony quickly got rid of his clothes, needing to be as naked as Steve, to feel his body against his.

 

Tony wanted this to be special, he wanted to take his time with Steve. They had had sex before, probably even made love, but this was the first time he would make love to Steve and be able to say the words.

 

“So gorgeous,” he said running his hands over Steve’s legs. Steve on display, open and waiting was one of the most erotic and beautiful things Tony had ever seen. Tan skin and hard abs glistened with sticky remnants of ice cream.

 

Tony let his hands roam, he wanted to feel Steve, ever part of him. He loved watching the muscles move under the skin, feel them tense and relax. Steve’s body was perfection. Steve was perfection. Tony’s love for the man went so far beyond the physical, he wanted Steve to know that. To feel how much Tony loved him.

 

“Tony,” Steve panted, eyes black with lust. “Hurry up.” Steve was breathless and Tony let the small smile on his face turn into a grin.

“Yes, Captain!”

Sliding onto the bed, letting his body mold to Steve’s side, Tony gathered his lover into his arms. There was nothing like the feel of Steve’s perfectly sculpted body next to his own, pressed against his. Sliding his hand over Steve’s stomach, he brought his lips to his for a deep kiss, his hand trailing down to take Steve’s cock in his hand.

He started to move his hand on him as fluidly as he was kissing him, with the same want, the same desire. He felt Steve’s hand move to touch him and Tony broke this kiss.

“No, baby. Let me take care of you.”

Tony may be a selfish man, but not when it came to Steve, there wasn’t anything in this world he wouldn’t do for him, and right now, all he wanted to do was make Steve feel good, to make love to Steve. He wasn’t going to allow himself to get off. He’d get just as much pleasure from seeing Steve happy and satiated as he would cumming himself, but he didn’t want that, not tonight.

“I want to show you how much I love you.”

"I already know." Steve said as he laid back, letting Tony take control. Tony couldn't control his smile. Returning his lips to Steve’s' he let his hand continued what it was doing.Tony trailed his lips down over Steve’s neck and stopped briefly to nibble on his collarbone, unable to to keep from thrusting himself against Steve’s hip. He had to do his best to hold back, this was about steve, not him.

Moving downward over Steve’s chest, Tony let his tongue swirl around the pebbled nipple of one of his pectoral muscles, eliciting a gasp and shaky exhale from Steve’s lips. “Oh, God, Tony!”

Tony smiled, continuing his movement downward, over the tight muscles of Steve’s stomach. They may not have been doing this for very long, but Tony knew Steve knew what he was about to do, his hips kept pushing upward, his dick lurching in his hand to feel his lips wrapped around it.

Finally, he rose above him only long enough to wrap his lips around the head of Steve’s cock and let his tongue swirl around it before slowly, oh so slowly, sucking his length into his mouth. Steve’s eyes rolled into the back of his head and he groaned out loudly in pleasure, causing Tony to go deeper until he couldn’t go anymore, Steve was huge. There was no way Tony was going to ever be able to take all of him in his mouth.

Tony felt Steve’s fingers grip at his hair and he couldn’t help but smile, well, he would if he could. He loved that he was making him feel as good as he was. He wanted to make him feel even better than he was, letting his hand slip under Steve’s balls as he rubbed at the space behind them. Steve started instantly bucking his hips into Tony’s mouth and he did his best not to choke.

“Oh, GOD, YES! Tony!”

Tony started to move up and down on Steve’s cock, rubbing more and more at that spot. It didn’t take long before Tony felt Steve’s balls start to tighten up, that meant only one thing. He was about to cum. Now, Tony could do one of two things, he could pull back and slow down, causing Steve want it more and more, or he could give in.

Tony chose the latter.

Sucking Steve’s cock, harder, taking all the he could into his mouth, Steve came with a shouted curse and Tony’s name.

 

Breathing heavy Tony dropped to the bed beside Steve. Steve’s eyes were glassy, sweat clung to his skin and he was breathing deep. Tony was still hard, and it was starting to get uncomfortable. He had been able to ignore his own desires when he was attending to Steve.

 

Steve knew Tony though. Before Tony said anything, Steve turned to his side, licked his palm and grabbed Tony in hand. Tony let out a soft moan at the feel of the strong hand tugging his cock. The heel of Steve’s hand brushed over the head of Tony’s cock and Tony couldn’t stop himself from bucking up. Steve’s pace was quick but smooth. Tony had neglected himself too long and a firm tug from Steve’s large hand had his balls tightening, the coil in his belly snapping. With a whisper of the Lord’s name in vain Tony came, spilling into Steve’s hand.

 

**

 

The night was long, Tony was finding it hard to sleep. Steve was passed out next to him. Tony had been content to watch him sleep, but the itch to get things done was starting to take over. He needed to get down to his lab and work on something, anything.

 

Soundlessly, so as not to wake Steve, he dressed in a black tank and sleep pants. He still had the top floor on lockdown, but Jarvis let him into the elevator. The floor was locked to anyone that wasn’t Steve or himself. Going over the plans for the holodeck in his head, Tony was jolted out of his thoughts when the elevator suddenly stopped just two floors down. Darcy’s floor.

 

The door slid open and Tony’s jaw dropped. “Awww, come on! I don’t want to see that.” Johnny had Darcy pressed against the wall, his tongue clearly down her throat. They broke apart at his protest.

 

“Chill, Tin Tin, I was just saying goodbye.” Johnny pecked Darcy on the lips once more and entered the elevator. Tony was torn, did he go after Darcy, warn her off of The Torch? Did he go after Johnny and explain just how dangerous messing with a super soldier’s little sister was?

 

“Steve will kill you. You know that right?” Tony said, not looking at Johnny.

 

“What?” Johnny asked, leaning back against the rail in the elevator.

 

“That girl in there, just happens to be the one person in this world that Steve sees as a sister. Hurt her, there will be no safe place to hide. He will kill you.” Tony knew this as sure as he knew he loved Steve.

 

“He can try. But he won’t succeed. His shield has nothing on my flame.”

 

“You don’t know Steve.”

 

“I’m not going to hurt her.”

 

The elevator door opened to Tony’s lab and he got out. “I’m sure you said the same thing when it came to Clint. See how well that worked out.” Tony knew it was a hit below the belt, Johnny’s eyes flashed with anger and the elevator door slid shut. He should not have mentioned Clint. That was a subject both men avoided at all cost, when he asked Sue about it even she didn’t know. Johnny had refused to talk about it. He wasn’t sure what had happened between them but it had been bad.

 

In all honesty, he’d almost choked on his tongue in shock when he had found out about Clint and Johnny. It had only come about during a very drunk game of truth or dare. One which he didn’t remember much. Johnny was known as a playboy, he had followed very spectacularly in Tony’s rich boy footsteps. So finding out that he and Clint had dated long term exclusively for over a year had been one of the most shocking things Tony had ever heard.

 

He sat down at his desk, the hologram for his holodeck flaring to life, but he didn’t pay attention to it. He was too busy worrying about how Steve would react to Darcy and Johnny. Steve had no reason to care, Darcy was a big girl and could take care of herself, but he knew Steve better than that. Steve knew about Johnny and his reputation, no way he would take this lightly. He would play the big, scary brother to a tee.

 

His lab door whooshed open and he looked up. Steve stood sleepily in the doorway, comforter wrapped around his shoulders. “I woke up and you weren’t there.” Steve said moving to the couch.

 

“Couldn’t sleep, you know how I get.”

Steve nodded. “Should have woken me,” he said around a yawn.

 

Tony moved over to the couch, laying Steve down, making sure to place the pillow under his head. “Sorry, it won’t happen again.” Tony tucked the blanket around Steve and kissed his hair. “Go back to sleep.”

 

“Love you,” Steve said, shutting his eyes.

 

“I love you too.” Tony said, watching as sleep took Steve to a different world.


	14. Genderswap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I will not be continuing the challenge after this chapter. I FUCKING HATE THE CHALLENGE. Instead, I have reworked the storyline, added a fucking plot and ditched the mindless fluff. The chapter should be up in a few days, after Ive written it and beta'd it. Sorry about the challenge but I can't do it. I don't like feeling locked into my writing and prompts do that to me. I hope you enjoy this chapter because it will be the last of the mindless fluff.

“Fucking Reed!” Tony grumbled looking down at his rather larger than normal chest. “Steve, come out of bathroom. We can’t fix this if one of us is gone.” Steve walked out of the bathroom a scowl on his beautiful face. Tony had to admit, Steve was beautiful as a girl.

The fight had been so straightforward, they hadn’t needed the help of Reed Richards-- supreme fuck up. The world just hated Tony. That’s what it was.

“Fucking Reed!” Steve’s higher, sweeter voice said.

Steve never swore, well hardly ever. He was mad too. Tony couldn’t blame him. They had been fighting Doom bots around the city. There had been outbreaks of the little evil things in multiple stops so that had broken up into teams. The Avengers had gotten the call and thought they were on their own. Hardly any other superhero came to help when The Avengers were on the job. They had broken into teams of two, and Steve and Tony had been unlucky enough to find Reed in the area they had been assigned. They had been shocked to find him there, but considering Victor Von Doom was Reed’s arch nemesis, he supposed he should have known. He had been trying out a new machine, but it didn’t work the way it was supposed to. Instead it blew up and Steve and Tony got caught in the blast.

Thankfully, Sue had given them some of her clothing to wear, it was very uncomfortable walking around as a girl, in the Iron Man suit. Steve had looked just as uncomfortable in the Cap costume.

They had been wondering around the Baxter building for the better part of six hours, waiting on Reed to fix his mistake. Sue was fielding calls from Fury and The Avengers. Tony had opted not to tell them about being changed into women. Clint would never let them hear the end of it.

Ben was still dealing with clean up and Johnny...

“Wow! Who are the babes?” Johnny’s voice rang through the room. Steve cringed, Tony knew Steve didn’t want anyone seeing him the way he was. Tony couldn’t blame him. He’d seen a lot of things as an Avenger, but being transform from Tony to Toni had not been one he had expected. He had asked Steve, jokingly of course, if he could call him Stephanie the first time he’d seen him. The glare he got told him everything he needed to know. 

Tony glared, “Shut it, flameboy.”

“Tony, be nice.” Steve admonished, walking passed both men, well one man and one used to be man.

“Steve, I am not a babe, I will not be called that.” Tony said, placing his hands on his hips. It made Steve laugh.Tony followed Steve down the hall. “Plus, after that kiss between him and Darcy I saw a few nights ago, he doesn’t get to talk about babes.”

Steve stopped walking suddenly, causing Tony to crash into him. Tony rubbed his chest, making a note not to smash boobs into things, especially rock solid super soldiers, that hurt.

“What kiss?” Steve asked, turning back to look at Tony and Johnny.

Tony smirked, he had warned Johnny. He hadn’t told Steve about the kiss he had seen, hadn’t seen a reason to until then.

“Whoa, what? Steve? Tony?” Johny said looking between the two girls. “I’m going to need therapy after this.”

“What kiss?” Steve said again, stepping closer to Johnny. Johnny’s features went pale as girl Steve grabbed him around the collar and planted him against the wall.

“Steve,” Tony said, placing a slim hand on Steve’s arm. It was really weird, the two of them being so much smaller than they were used to. Still Steve had his super soldier strength. “I don’t think Reed will help us get our real bodies back if you kill his brother-in-law.”

“I will kill you, if I see her shed one tear of sadness over you. One tear and I swear, they will never find your body.” Steve let go of Johnny and he slid to the ground, a crumpled heap, gasping for breath.

“Told you.” Tony said, looking down at Johnny.

Steve rounded on him, “I’m not finished. You knew about him and Darcy and didn’t tell me.”

Tony swallowed, he should have seen that one coming. He had kept the knowledge about Johnny and Darcy to himself, admittedly, it was a bad choice. Meeting Steve’s eyes, he said, “I wasn’t sure how to tell you.” Which was true. It wasn’t exactly a conversation someone wanted to have with an overprotective brother.

“She’s a big girl, Steve.” Tony said looking down at Johnny again. “But, if he hurts her, I’ll help you dispose of the body.”

Steve nodded and started to walk away. Tony was pretty sure he heard Johnny say she was worth it, but he wasn’t going to ask. He wanted his body back. The arc reactor placed between large breasts was uncomfortable.

“Oh good! I think I have figured out how to reverse the...iIssue.”

Tony rolled his eyes, leave it to Reed to turn Captain America and Iron Man into girls. Steve was hot as a chick, but he really wanted his Captain back. Plus, being a girl was uncomfortable. How anyone worked around the boobs was beyond him. Not that he hadn’t given himself ample time to play with them while he was changing out of the Iron Man suit. He was Tony Stark after all. But tripping over things because he couldn’t see his toes and crashing into things was annoying and he wanted his body back. He hated being a girl.

“Right, well, you may want to change back into your suits, I don’t think you will fit in Sue’s clothing after you change back.”

Tony and Steve helped each other change, neither of them could figure out how to get their arms behind them to unhook the bras. How the hell women did that on a daily basis, Tony didn’t want to know. He was now firmly against all things bra related.

Reed led them into a chamber, that would contain the blast and hopefully change them back.

“3...2...1”

The box that Tony and Steve stood in lit up and Tony closed his eyes. He could feel himself getting taller, things within him changing. The box heated up and Tony felt like he had been placed inside the sun. His skin burned. Beside him, he could feel Steve, hear him gasping in pain.

The light and heat died and he and Steve stepped out of the box, gasping for air, but male and that was all that mattered.

“Oh sweet baby Jesus. Thank you God.” Tony said, laying down on the cool floor. Steve followed nodding. Reed Richards was officially on Tony’s “I don’t like you” list.

“Oh good, it worked.” Reed’s face loomed over Tony.

“You,” he pointed at the face of the world’s dumbest smart guy, “will pay for that.”


	15. Complacence will get you stabbed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://www.polyvore.com/darcy_mask/set?id=84726035#fans
> 
> to see the outfits the characters wore in this chapter.

Complacence gets you stabbed

 

Life had been going so well for all of The Avengers, Clint and Natasha had been away on assignment most of it but Bruce and Thor were happy in the new relationship they had formed. Tony and Steve were blissfully happy in their relationship. Nothing bad had happened in a long time. The Avengers had become content. Their lives had become easy, happy and routine.

 

Steve should have known things would change. It was when routines developed that people were at their weakest. People let their guards down they become complacent, thats when someone can find the weaknesses and strike before anyone knows what's happened.

 

He should have known that the peace and happiness they had all shared would come to an end. They all should have seen it, but the truth was, none of them did. They had all been blinded by happiness, unwilling to see the dangers they had not realized where there.

 

**

 

Steve stood in the bathroom staring at his reflection. The night was going to be an interesting one. The dark blue suit fit him perfectly, Tony’s tailors knew exactly what they were doing. The black dress shirt was soft and smooth and the silver tie gave just enough color. Even Steve could admit the combination was very handsome.

 

“Steve, hurry up. We have to go.” Tony’s voice called from the bedroom.

 

Steve picked up the final piece of his outfit and walked out. His breath caught in his throat when he saw Tony. The man was unbelievably handsome in a smooth, finely-fitted black suit, a soft black shirt and a gold tie paired with a beautiful black and gold mask.

 

Steve held up his mask, blue and black with some lighter blue filigree. “Help me put this on?” he asked.

 

Tony moved around the back of Steve and reached up to tie the mask in place. Steve was nervous for the night. They were going to a masked ball. It was charity event hosted by the Maria Stark Foundation, which meant Tony had to go, which meant Steve was going. He liked to pretend social obligations didn’t exist. He was never one for parties, but as the boyfriend of the only Stark left, he had responsibilities. It didn’t hurt that Tony was dressed the way he was.

 

“We are meeting Darcy, Pepper and Happy down in the communal area.” Tony said smoothing his hands down Steve’s arms. “You look amazing,” he said turning Steve around to place a small kiss on his lips.

 

“You don’t look too bad, yourself,” Steve smiled when Tony scoffed.

 

“Please, I make this look good.” Tony smoothed a hand down his chest and Steve shook his head. He had to have the most modest boyfriend in the world.

 

“We should be heading down, don’t want to keep everyone waiting,” Steve said, taking Tony’s mask. Tony turned around, allowing the mask to be put on and tied.

 

“Yes, lets get this over with.” Tony said as Steve grabbed his hand and pulled him to the elevator.

 

Pepper, Happy and Darcy were all talking about something when Steve and Tony entered. Darcy had her hand on Pepper’s belly.

 

“OH OH OH!” Darcy screamed jumping up and down. “I felt her. Sharon kicked my hand.” Darcy turned to look at Steve and Tony. “Steve, she kicked my hand. How cool is that?”

 

Steve’s smile was tight, he could feel how forced it was. He was grateful that he was wearing a mask because the feelings he had at having Darcy talk to him about the baby would have been written all over his face. He still hadn’t talked to Tony about his feelings on having kids. He didn’t really know how to broach that subject with him.

 

Pepper was 8 months along and still looked striking in a short gold silk dress and green high heels. Her mask was gold with green and blue around the eyes. She looked amazing and the red in her hair played well with the colors of her outfit. Happy looked very regal in a white suit, red shirt and bow tie. Steve liked the bow tie. His mask was simple half white, half red.

 

Darcy’s outfit though was stunning. Steve was sure she would be the most beautiful woman at the ball. Her dress was lilac and silver. It went to the floor but Steve could see the gold heels that she wore through the sheer material of the skirt. Her mask was a mix of purple and silver and half a butterfly on one side and purple and gold on the other. Her long brown hair hung down to her waist in curls. He had never seen her with her hair down.

 

“You look amazing!” A voice from behind Steve said.

 

He scowled. He knew that voice. He had hoped the person that belonged to that voice wouldn’t show up for the ball.

 

“Johnny!” Darcy ran passed Steve, over to the man attached to the voice. “You made it.”

 

“Of course I made it, babe.” Johnny wrapped his arms around Darcy and pulled her into a kiss.

 

Steve’s frown deepened. He wasn’t a fan of Johnny Storm. The kid was a hot head and a playboy. He didn’t like the idea that Darcy had fallen for him. Yes, Steve knew how much of a hypocrite he was. Johnny was not so different from Tony, but no matter how often Tony pointed that out, or explained that he had been the one to tame Tony, Steve couldn’t imagine Johnny being tamed. Darcy deserved someone that would treat her like a queen, tell her how amazing she was, be completely devoted to her. She was one of a kind and he didn’t think Johnny understood any of that.

 

Johnny’s hot head tendencies went well with his superhuman power, one he was playing up for the ball. He looked completely ridiculous in a metallic orange mask with flames and a dark red orange suit with an orange shirt. Standing together Darcy and Johnny looked the complete opposite of each other. Him in his warm colors and flames, her in her icy colors and butterflies.

 

“Frown any harder and he may just burst into flames,” Tony said under his breath as he lead Steve to the elevator. Pepper and Happy followed with Johnny and Darcy the last in.

 

“I just don’t like him,” Steve whispered in Tony’s ear.

 

“I know, but I’m telling you she’s good for him,” Tony’s voice was low enough that the only person that could hear the conversation was Steve.

 

“Of course she is, its her. I don’t think he’s good for her though.” 

 

Tony patted him on the shoulder in what was meant to alleviate some tension or be a sign that he understood. All it did was annoy Steve. No one was willing to see Johnny for what he was. A threat. A threat to Darcy and her life. He didn’t for one second believe that Johnny loved Darcy, he believed that the man was out for only himself and no one would listen to him. They all told him he was just being overly protective, taking the big brother role too literally.

 

One thing was for sure though, the day Johnny Storm broke Darcy Lewis’s heart was the day Steve Rogers put him in a body bag.

 

They arrived at the party fashionably late as per typical of Tony Stark. The party was packed with people Steve didn’t know or people he didn’t know he knew. The masks made it hard to know anyone for sure.

 

Steve was happy to stay by Tony’s side.

 

“When we get home, I can’t wait to see what that suit looks like, on the floor.” Tony said pulling Steve down by the tie and kissing him hard, before making their way over to the bar for drinks.

 

The music was classic and people all around were dancing and having a blast. Tony stood next Steve sipping his water. Steve was content to sit and watch as Johnny and Darcy danced around the dance floor.

 

“Steve, you really need to lighten up. Darcy is a big girl,” Tony held out his hand. “Dance with me?”

 

Dancing was still something he didn’t do much of. In his day, he had never been one to dance. No one had want to dance with him when he was the scrawny guy and after project rebirth he never had a chance. He’d danced at his wedding but he didn’t like to think about that.

 

Steve took Tony’s hands and was led to the dance floor. The music was smooth and slow, Steve pulled Tony close, his hand on the small of his back, the other holding Tony’s hand tight.

 

Around the dance floor they moved, just like in battle, Steve knew Tony’s moves and was ready to follow his lead.

 

The rest of the group had gone their own ways. Pepper and Happy were sitting at a table watching the people move around the ball. Pepper had her feet in Happy’s lap, it made Steve smile. He was so glad they had found each other. Darcy had wandered off and Johnny was at the bar grabbing drinks. Steve watched as a woman walked up to Johnny to talk to him. Steve was impressed that Johnny had practically ignored the woman. The woman, though he didn’t know who it was was pretty, from what he could see. She was thin and blond with a blood red dress and thin black mask.

 

Steve looked around the room, wondering where Darcy was when he saw her. Darcy moved like lightning across the dance floor. Her eyes focused on the woman standing next to Johnny a knife in her hand. 

 

Steve could see what was about to happen. He dropped Tony’s hand and started to run, Tony following close behind. The knife slid into the side of the unknown woman. He was too late to reach Darcy, to stop her from attacking the woman. Johnny stood staring at the woman collapsed at his feet.

 

“Darcy, what the FUCK!” Johnny was yelling.

Steve reached them just as Darcy raised the knife and lunged for Johnny. Steve was fast enough to get in between the pair, the knife sliced through his shirt like butter. He felt the sting as the knife hit flesh.

 

“Darcy!” Steve grabbed his side. His hand was wet and sticky from the blood but is body was already healing. The wound hadn’t been very deep.

 

“She was moving in on my man, I’m so sorry Steve.” Darcy said before collapsing on the ground. Her body jerked once and she went limp. Tony and Johnny both landed on the floor next to Darcy.

 

“Holy shit!” Johnny yelled, throwing his mask off and looking at Steve. “What the fuck just happened? I swear to God, I wasn’t doing anything. The chick said hi, I ignored her.”

 

Steve had seen the whole thing, he knew Johnny was telling the truth. The poor kid looked like he was about to wet himself. Steve was just angry. Darcy was laying on the floor in front of him and he couldn’t do anything about it.

 

Tony put his finger to Darcy’s neck. “Her pulse is erratic and she’s non-responsive.” Tony removed her mask and pulled an eye lid back. Darcy’s dark brown eyes were dull and lifeless.

“Stark, is she going to be ok? Tell me she’s going to be ok.” Johnny said pulling Darcy into his lap.

 

“What the hell happened to her?” Steve asked, looking around. The crowd had parted and the med staff that was kept on hand moved forward to tend to Darcy and her victims. Steve waved them away from him. He was fine.

 

The lady she had stabbed sat on the ground. The knife wound wasn’t deep and the napkin the bartender had given the lady had soaked up most of the blood.

 

“I don’t know,” Johnny said cradling Darcy’s head. His eyes were locked on her face. “She said she needed to use the ladies room so I went to get us drinks. Someone said hi, I wasn’t paying attention and all of the sudden Darcy stabbed her. Steve, I don’t know what happened.” Johnny’s bright blue eyes were the color of flames.

 

Steve put a hand on Johnny’s shoulder and crouched down to look at Darcy. “You need to keep it together, Torch. You can’t burst into flames right now.” Darcy’s skin was pale and clammy.

 

“Tony?” Steve asked, looking at his boyfriend.

 

“I don’t know, Steve. I have no idea. Best I can say is get her to Bruce. Maybe she was drugged?”

 

“Drugged! Who the hell would...?” Johnny stopped talking mid sentence. He placed Darcy gently on the floor and walked away. “I’m going to kill him.”

 

Steve was about to stop him, ask him what the hell he was doing when a ball of flames burst from Johnny. The rest of him was engulfed in fire as he hit the balcony.

 

“Tony, do you have your Iron Man suit?” Steve asked, staring off in the direction that Johnny had gone.

 

Happy appeared suddenly not only handing Tony his case, but Steve the shield. He wasn’t about to ask questions.

 

“Get her to Bruce, I’m going after Johnny.” Steve said, taking the tie and mask off and handing them to Happy. Pepper stood behind them watching, a worried look on her face.

 

“Steve, is that smart?”

 

“I’m not going to kill him. He may just be more mad about what happened than I am. Get her to Bruce. He needs to help her. Please, Tony. Something tells me, Johnny knows what’s going on.” Steve said watching the path Johnny’s flame left in the air. He was going to have to run to catch up.

 

“Alright, go. Pepper and Happy can handle the stabbing issue,” Tony said, stepping into the suit.

Steve turned to look at Happy and Pepper. Pepper nodded, already moving to talk to the injured woman. Steve was ok with Pepper and Happy handling it. Darcy was going to be in trouble, but he needed to understand why she did what she did.

 

Steve and Tony both walked to the balcony, Tony carrying Darcy, Steve his shield.

 

“See you at home,” Steve said jumping from the balcony and breaking into a dead run. Tony flew off in the direction of Stark Tower. Steve was thankful Bruce and Thor had come back from Asgard. He hoped that Bruce would be able to help Darcy.


	16. This is War. What Are We Waiting For?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am really struggling to write this story, its not because I can't see it, or because I dont want to, its because I have this other story playing out in my head and i really just want to write that right now. SO, I'm going to post pone this story for the next few weeks. The good news is, it never takes me very long to crank out a story when its grips me as tight as this one has. I literally will start it tomorrow and be done with in in 3 days tops. Then I can get back to this story. until then, enjoy this chapter.

Following Johnny's trail was simple enough, the smell of ash in the air, told Steve the direction he needed to go, even if he couldn't see the heat trail. The Torch was moving fast, but Steve was fast too. Running in dress shoes and a suit, wasn't ideal, but he'd done it before. The shield was strapped to his back as he moved through the streets of upper Manhattan towards the Baxter building.

 

Steve should have figured Johnny would go there. It had sounded like he had known who had drugged Darcy, he was probably on his way to get the rest of the Fantastic Four. Steve sped up his pace, he'd need to get there before the four took off. He wasn't about to sit this fight out. His little sister lay unconscious, who ever had cause that, was going to pay.

 

It didn’t take long for Steve to find Johnny, he’d been to the Baxter Building a few times to deal with Reed. The last time he had been there, he had been turned into a woman. Not a memory Steve particularly liked. At the time, the building had been humming with workers and machines that Reed had been messing with. Steve hadn’t bothered to ask about any of them. The building that he was in now, was a mess of wrecked machines, twisted metal, broken glass and bullet holes.

 

“What the heck happened here?” Steve’s voice rang through the destroyed upper level of the Baxter Building.

 

“Doom,” Johnny said, stepping out from behind some broken machine. His suit from the ball was gone, replaced by the F4 uniform they all wore. Behind him in a puddle was a fairly melted Reed Richards.

 

“Dear lord.” Steve was next to Johnny as fast as he could navigate through the wreckage. “Is he ok?”

 

“He will be, he just needs to cool down. Doom likes to use heat against Reed, it and cold are the only things that slow Mr. Stretchy man down.”

 

“What happened here Storm? Do you know anything about what happened to Darcy?”

 

“I don’t know what was done to her, but I’m pretty sure I know who did it and possibly why.” Johnny scooped up Reed, “You know, this is really gross.”

 

Steve was starting to get antsy, he didn’t know what was happening to Darcy and Johnny was making jokes. It was something Tony did when he got stressed out, Steve new Johnny was doing it for the same reason. The anger in his eyes when Darcy collapsed was enough to tell Steve Johnny felt something for Darcy. Steve still wasn’t sure what he felt, or if Johnny around Darcy was a good thing, but in the face of whatever was happening, he was willing to put his distrust aside, maybe even admit he was wrong. He would cross that bridge if it came.

 

“We should get back to Avenger Tower. Tony took Darcy there to be examined by Bruce.”

 

Johnny nodded, “I’ll drive.”

 

___________________________________

 

Bruce with Thor, met Tony on the rooftop landing pad, medical supply kit in hand. Tony’s face plate slid down.

“Lets get her inside.”

Darcy had made a few movements on the flight from the ball to The Tower, which to Tony was a good sign. At least whatever she was dosed with was leaving her body and allowing her to regain consciousness. Tony didn’t want anything bad to happen to Darcy and he sure as hell didn’t want to be the one to tell Steve if it did. He shuddered to think what a conversation of that magnitude would do to the super soldier.

 

Darcy was well loved in The Avengers, but no one loved her as much as the super soldier except maybe the demi-God. Thor stayed back as Tony placed Darcy on the couch inside the top floor. Bruce was by her side before Tony had fully released his grip. Thor grabbed him and spun him around.

 

“What has happened to her?” He asked, his bright blue eyes full of an emotion Tony had never seen on Thor.

 

The big guy was always so calm, so happy and carefree. He never feared what would happen to him in battle, often charging into the line of fire before anyone had a chance to assess the situation. It was something Steve often complained about. Tony had never seen an issue with it, he was much the same way. He could hardly find it a fault of Thor’s. But the emotions in the demi-God’s eyes, so full of fear. So much worry and sorrow. It was something that Tony never wanted to see on the face of his carefree friend. The man that stood before him, leaving Thor sized hand prints in his armor, was a man that Tony didn’t know. A man that had lost so much in such a short span of time.

 

It had been nine months since the battle with Morrigan, almost three years since the fight with Loki and Thor had lost so much. Darcy was all that was left of the time he had with Jane, a constant reminder that things had been different, had perhaps been better. Tony didn’t know Jane. He had only ever seen her that one day, that day she had been killed. He had watched as Morrigan had slit Jane’s throat, had practically decapitated her. He had imagined time and time again how he would feel if it had been Steve and not Jane. He knew how Thor felt. He knew, because he knew how he would feel if it had been Steve.

 

“She’s going to be okay,” Tony’s voice was raw, weak with emotions, he cleared his throat. “She is going to be okay.” He said more firmly, his dark eyes meeting Thor’s. Thor gave a curt nod and released Tony.

 

“Her pulse is stable, but she’s still out cold. I took a blood sample, I’m going to go down to the lab and see if I can figure out what she was dosed with.”

 

“I will accompany you.” Thor said firmly, as if he would be argued with.

 

Bruce gave Thor a soft smile and nodded, “Natasha and Clint came back a few hours ago. They’re in the common room waiting for instructions.”

 

Tony looked up from the platform he was standing on, his bots were attempting to remove his armor. He hadn’t been told when Clint and Natasha would be coming back, but he was happy to have them. Something was about to go down, he could feel it.

 

The fact that the elevator door slid open at that exact moment, expelling not only Clint and Natasha, but Steve, Johnny and a rather wobbly Reed Richards only confirmed Tony’s suspicions.

 

“Now we can get this party started.” Tony clapped his hands together and grinned. The smile faltered at the look on Steve’s face.

 

Steve was still in his suit from the ball. The slice from the knife Darcy had thrust at him, was visible. The spot that had been an open wound, long since healed, but the dried blood on his perfect skin was still there. A beacon in the night, lit only for Tony to see. Pain only Tony could feel.

 

Johnny wasn’t paying attention to anyone, he had made his way over to where Darcy lay on the couch, still unconscious. “How is she?” Johnny pushed her hair out of her face and ran his hand over her cheek. His eyes were soft as he watched her sleep. It was something so simple, yet so intimate, Tony didn’t feel right watching it.

 

“We think she will be alright,” Bruce said from behind Thor, “I was just going to run some tests on her blood, see if I can isolate the chemical compounds that were used on her.” Johnny nodded not taking his eyes off of Darcy.

 

“This was Doom’s doing.” Johnny said simply.

 

Reed nodded slightly, he was still unstable on his feet and being held up between Clint and Natasha.

“He attacked The Baxter building. Sue was under his control. I’m not really sure what happened. Ben and I had just finished up some subspace monitoring when I was hit from behind with a ray of some kind. It did this.” Reed motioned to his body. “Ben turned to attack but hesitated because Sue was the one holding the weapon.”

 

Tony nodded. Rocky always did have soft spot for Sue. It didn’t shock him one bit that Ben had hesitated when he had seen who their foe was.

 

“In his hesitation, he was persuaded not the fight back.”

 

“Persuaded? How?” Steve asked, speaking for the first time since coming off the elevator.

 

“Alicia, was taken. Ben went after her.” Reed was set down at the end of the couch Darcy wasn’t occupying.

 

Bruce and Thor exited the top floor. Tony knew they would find him when they had information.

 

“Do you think Doom drugged Darcy?” Tony tossed his jacket and tie over the back of a chair and moved over to Steve. His shield was leaning against the wall, the suit jacket lay draped over it.

 

“I’d bet my life on it.” Johnny, still hadn’t moved from Darcy’s side. Tony didn’t expect him to either.

 

“We have to get Sue back, Johnny.”

 

Johnny nodded and looked around, eyes falling on Steve, “help us? Please. Reed and I can’t fight Doom on our own. We need your help. I want to see him pay for what he’s done.”

 

Steve pushed off the wall, squeezing Tony’s hand lightly as it he passed. “As god is my witness, I will see that Doom pays for everything he has done to Darcy and Sue.”

 

“Jesus Christ you two really do look alike.” Clint said from somewhere behind Tony, making him jump. The doublemint twins had been so silent, he had forgotten they were there. “Ow! Hey!” Tony smiled, he knew that sound well. The sound of Clint getting the patented “you’re being an insufferable ass,” knock upside the head from Natasha. He had been on the receiving end of many of those.

 

Reed stood from the couch, his body restored to its normal elasticity, “I’m going to head down to Bruce’s lab. Nothing we can do till Doom shows himself again. I’d like to get a jump on what happened to Mrs. Lewis. Especially if it was what caused Sue to...” Reed left without finishing his sentence.

 

“He’s taking this better than I expected,” Tony wasn’t sure he was talking about but, the statement rang true.

 

In a room full of superheroes, their relationships were what set them apart from each other. Without the love of their partners, their friends, they were all the same. Fighting to save the world, putting their lives on the line, but nothing to come home to after it was all said and done. Tony used to think that was a good thing. No one to worry about day in and day out, but he was wrong. His relationship with Pepper had taught him that, even if they had ended. He wouldn’t trade the time they had spent together, nor would he give up his relationship with Steve.

 

He used to think love was a weakness, but as he watched Reed walk out of the room, as he looked from Johnny --who sat on the floor, his hand wrapped around Darcy’s-- and Steve who stood beside The Human Torch, eyes bright with determination. Tony realized love wasn’t the weakness, it wasn’t what caused the fights, it was what they fought for. It was the driving force behind everything they did.

 

Standing in a room with Steve and Johnny worrying about Darcy, should have been tense. A room that held Johnny and Clint, that on any other day may have been a bad thing. Tony didn’t know what their relationship was like, but somehow Darcy’s condition, the knowledge that Sue was in trouble, that Ben was trying to save Alicia, had changed a few things. It all put his life in perspective.

 

“So, what do we do now?” Clint asked. “Just sit here with our thumbs up our ass, while Steve’s little sister and Johnny’s girlfriend dies?”

 

Both Steve and Johnny stiffened at Clint’s words, but he was right, they couldn’t just sit around and wait for something to happen. They needed to find Doom, they needed to finish this fight. They needed to get Sue back. Darcy needed to wake up. So much needed to be done.

 

“Clint, show a little compassion.” Natasha admonished, but the look on her face told Tony she agree with him.

 

“No, we suit up and find the bastard.” Steve turned to look at the three remaining Avengers in the room. “We take him fast and hard and we don’t back down till we have Sue out.”

 

“Can you two work together? Or will whatever happened between you be a problem?” Tony motioned between Clint and Johnny. Johnny’s eyes flashed and Clint hung his head. Natasha shifted uncomfortably from her position at Clint’s side.

 

Tony really wanted to know what went down between those two, but it was for a different day.

 

“We can work together fine, Stark.” Johnny snapped. “You just worry about yourself.”

 

“Well, I was. If the personal issues between you two.... Or should I saw three?” Clint’s head turned to Tony so fast he was sure the man had gotten a crick.

 

Tony had been watching Natasha out of the corner of his eye while he was talking. The normally stoic, widow was allowing emotions to betray her. Suddenly the picture became clear. He had always imagined that Johnny had been the one to cause the downfall of the relationship. Tony was pretty sure he had been woefully wrong on that.

 

“If the problems between you three, get in the way of what we need to do, I will personally put you all in body bags.” Tony wasn’t joking. He had more at stake in this fight, then he wanted to think about. He knew Steve would stop at nothing to exact revenge on Doom for what he did to Darcy. The last time one of Steve’s friends had fallen to a foe, he had put himself in an accidental deep freeze on his mission of revenge. Steve didn’t stop when it came to avenging people he loved and Darcy would be no different.

 

There had been no reason to think that Johnny and Clint couldn’t work together, they hadn’t even really acknowledged each other, other than Clint mentioning Johnny’s girlfriend. A woman Tony was pretty sure The Torch loved, if the way he was reacting to her sudden departure from sanity was anything to go by. Still, Tony had needed to make sure that all involved could play well with each other. He didn’t need someone getting hurt because they couldn’t focus on the task at hand. Doom needed to be dealt with. They needed to make sure Alisha and Sue were ok. They needed to take Doom down and they couldn’t do that if people couldn’t work together.

 

“We’ll be fine, Stark. Right, Hawkeye? Widow?” Johnny’s voice was softer when he spoke. Clint and Natasha nodded once and moved to the elevator.

 

“We’ll meet you back in here five.” The two assassins exited the floor leaving Steve, Tony and Johnny.

 

“Right. Well, you should probably get changed, Cap.”


	17. A different perspective

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for baring with me while I put this story on hold for a new story idea. I finished that story so I can now focus on this one. Just two more chapters and the story or these characters comes to an end.

Ch17

Johnny stood over the sleeping form of Darcy. The night had not gone the way he had expected. Johnny put on a good front. Everyone liked to compare him to Tony Stark. The playboy flyboy with the hot head, but the fact was, Johnny stopped being those things after Sue had died, were it not for Norrin, he wouldn’t have a sister anymore. It kind of put things in perspective. He’d watched Ben and Alicia fall in love and get married, he saw Reed and Sue all the time. He had wanted that for himself. He was done being the bachelor who played the field. He was allowed to want to settle down. He had thought Clint... He tried really hard not to think about the way that relationship had ended. He really did, but it still hurt. He had always been the one to cheat, the one to break it off. He’d never been on the receiving end. He could finally say, it felt like shit.

 

He wasn’t mad anymore, that had been almost four years ago. He had fallen back into the playboy ways, because they were easy, and they numbed the pain, be he had longed for more. When he had met Darcy, he hadn’t known she would bring him back to The Avengers. He hadn’t known she knew them. He had met her in the square, while she was getting coffee. He had thought, “hey, she’s cute.” He couldn’t have known she would give him something he was missing.

 

He had not expected to be taken back to the tower and introduced to Steve Captain America Rogers. Darcy had told him all about her “brother” Steve, but she hadn’t said he was Captain America. To say that was intimidating would be an understatement. He had met Tony a few times but nothing to be able to consider the man a friend. It had been weird, but he had spent the night with Darcy that night and when he left that morning, he had honestly no intention of calling her or seeing her again. Except, she had gotten under his skin somehow. He found that he thought about her all the time, wondered what she was doing, if she thought about him. It had taken him a week to call her after the night he had met her, she had, in true Darcy fashion, torn him a new one.

 

It had taken him a month, and being busted by Tony, to realize just how much he felt for her. The idea that a super soldier from the 1940s would be gunning for his head on a pike scared the hell out of him. He had put on a brave face, but Johnny wasn’t sure he could match Steve blow for blow. If Steve didn’t have the shield sure, but a shield in the hands of Captain America was a more deadly weapon than any he had ever seen. Tony had hit a nerve when he had brought up Clint. Everyone had been so willing to believe that Johnny had been the one to fuck up. He hadn’t been the one that went to Budapest leaving a boyfriend behind and came home with a girlfriend too. Johnny didn’t share.

 

It had been that night that he realized that he had fallen in love with Darcy. Tony’s words of warning that Steve would kill him if he hurt Darcy made him realize how badly he never wanted to hurt her. He had had a slight panic attack on the way home at that realization. It was a blow to the gut, something he had never expected to happen again.

 

But he had hurt her, he may not have been the one that drugged her, but he was the reason. Doom had taken care of Ben and he had thought he had taken care of Reed. Johnny was the only one that needed to be disposed of. He had used Darcy. He had tried to kill Johnny using Darcy, all because he wanted Sue back.

 

She was never going to be the Baroness Von Doom again, but that didn’t stop Doom from trying to get her back. It was the only reason Doom ever did anything. He was sure that all of this had been a ploy to get Sue under his control.

 

Johnny just needed to figure out how to get to Doom, how to get Sue out of there without injuring her. He had lost her once, he wasn’t going to lose her again.

 

Darcy twitched and Johnny crouched down. “Darcy?” Her skin was pale and clammy. Her eyes fluttered open and she threw her arm over her eyes.

 

“Worst hangover ever,” she groaned. “Make the room stop spinning.”

 

Johnny smiled, “I wish I could Darc, but I need you to tell me what you remember.”

 

“What happened? Why are we in Tony and Steve’s living room?” Darcy tried to sit up, Johnny stood up, to all her to move, but the movement had her leaning over the side of the couch and puking. Johnny stood there, unsure what to do. What was the protocol for when your girlfriend puked on you anyway?

 

“Oh god, I’m really sorry.” Darcy looked horrified, her cheeks a warm pink.

 

“Don’t worry about it, babe.” He wasn’t. There were worse things in the world than having your shoes thrown up on.

 

“Steve! Tony!”

 

“Please don’t yell.” Darcy said, laying back down on the couch.

 

Both Steve and Tony came running down the hall and skidded into the living room. Steve had gotten out of his suit and was in the Captain America costume pants and undershirt. The over shirt in his hand. Tony hand changed into his flight suit.

 

“Darcy!” Steve said sliding in next to Johnny.

 

“Ah...You may want to go get cleaned up Torch.” Tony said looking down at pool a puke Johnny was standing in. Johnny nodded, but wasn’t sure what to do. He didn’t want to track it all over Tony’s house.

 

“I’ll be right back.” Tony left.

 

“Darcy, what happened after you went to the bathroom?” Steve asked sitting down on the couch and watching Darcy. His eyes scanned her face and over her body, taking in every subtlety that only his advanced tactical mind would notice.

 

“I...I don’t remember. I remember heading into the bathroom and turning around because someone had said my name, but thats it. Why? What happened?”

 

Tony was back and handed Johnny a towel. Fighting Doom in puke covered clothing, was not the way he had planned to spend his night. Fighting Doom hadn’t been on his list, but that changed when the jerk messed with Darcy.

 

“We need to meet Nat and Clint at the jet,” Tony said to Steve, while Johnny cleaned himself up.

 

“But what about Darcy? We can’t just leave her here alone.” Johnny was still really worried about her, he wasn’t about to leave her unattended. He wasn’t going to sit the fight out if he didn’t have to, but he needed to know Darcy was being looked after.

 

Steve looked up at Johnny a glint of something in his eyes, Johnny hoped it was approval, but he wasn’t going to set himself up for that fall, just yet anyway.

 

“She can stay with Bruce in the lab. We’ll take Thor with us, we may need his lightning to electro fry Von Doom.” Tony said to both Johnny and Steve. Darcy wasn’t saying anything. Her head rested on the arm of the couch, her eyes shut.

 

Steve zipped up his outer spangly Kevlar and stood. “I’ll take Darcy down to Bruce and grab Thor. Johnny go with Tony and meet Nat and Clint.

 

Both Johnny and Tony nodded as Steve scooped Darcy up. The four of them were descending to their levels in no time. Steve stepping off at Bruce’s level to get Thor and give Darcy over to the good doctor.

 

Tony and Johnny to where Clint and Natasha waited.

 

Clint wrinkled his nose when Johnny and Tony walked in. “You stink.”

 

“Darcy puked on him.” Tony pointed to Johnny as the elevator doors opened again, Steve, Thor and Reed exiting.

 

“Lets get this over with,” Steve said.

 

The group of heroes nodded. Each one of them suited up and ready for a fight.


	18. Strength and Weakness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG I'm so sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out. I had the hardest time with my muse. She just kind of ditched me for a bit. But she's back and after this chapter, there is only the epilogue :)

The four that couldn’t fly landed on the street of Manhattan in front of the black town car, and exited the quinjet. Thor, The Torch, and Iron man landed behind the town car. The seven waited for the car to make the first move and Steve was not shocked when the door opened. The team waited silent but no one exited the vehicle. Steve was confused, until hawkeye was thrown through the air by an invisible force. 

Steve could have kicked himself, of course he had completely forgotten that Sue, the invisible woman, was under Von Doom’s spell or control was perhaps a better words. No more magic, Steve thought as he took off after hawkeye. Tony reached the falling archer first and righted him. 

“You know, if you wanted to learn to fly so bad, you should have said something. I’m sure I can figure out how to attach wings to your quiver.” 

Clint glared and dusted himself off. 

“It’s Sue. She’s not going to make this easy.” Johnny said landing beside Steve and extinguishing the flames. 

“How do we fight her, Storm?” Steve asked. He didn’t know the Fantastic Four very well. He was only starting to get to know Reed and Johnny, he’d never met Ben or Sue. He didn’t know their weaknesses or their strengths. 

He watched from the sidelines with Tony, Clint, and Johnny, as Natasha and Thor, and to a very small extent Reed, battled an invisible force. It would have been quite comical, watching all the missed punches and hits, had the situation they found themselves in not been so fucked up. 

“I don’t really know.” Johnny said honestly, making the three that stood beside him turn their heads. “She’s my sister guys, I know how to make her mad, pull her hair, tease her. I’ve never needed to take her down. I don’t know what Victor did to her to make her act like this.” 

“Is there anything you can give us?” Tony asked turning to watch as the invisible fight escalated. 

Thor was thrown off balance, his strike of lightning went amiss and hit the car that had held Sue. The metal screeched and split to reveal an empty car. Steve looked around trying to find Von Doom, realizing that he hadn’t actually seen him. 

“If I had to guess tin man, I’d say, Reed would be the one to break into her head. He appeals to her level of crazy better than anyone. Knows how to push her buttons, but he also knows how to get her flustered and confused. When she gets like that, she can’t keep her powers up. It will force her to become visible. Our powers are tied to emotions. When we were first learning about them, it was anger that turned Sue’s on. Maybe, maybe making her remember how much she loves Reed will at least make her visible.”

“If we can see her, we can fight her.” Clint said readying his bow. 

“We have another issue,” Steve pointed to the empty car. 

“Doom,” Johnny growled.

“Where’d he go?” Clint’s eyes scanned the street, the part and all the building.

“I don’t think he was ever in there. This was all a ploy. He knew we’d go after Sue.” Steve turned to the three men, “we need to get Sue on our side. Doom can wait.”

“Jarvis, scan for heat signatures. Calibrate against and Ignore The Human Torch.” 

Steve looked at Iron Man, a look of shock on his face, “why the heck didn’t you do that before?” Tony was the one person that could see Sue even when she was invisible.

Iron Man shrugged, “I was too busy catching Tinker Bell over here.” He pointed to Clint. 

“Keep it up tin can and we’ll see how well the new EMP tipped arrows you made me, work.” 

“Have to catch me first.”

“Save it,” Steve held up his hand to silence the pair. They were always bickering. Tony hadn’t fully forgiven Clint for the mistletoe incident. “We have bigger things to deal with than you two trying to out sass each other.” 

“Iron Man, locate Sue, get to Reed, see if he can talk her down. Hawkeye, I need you up high making sure Sue doesn’t disappear once we have her in our sights. Keep an eye out for Doom or any of his bots. The fact that it’s just Sue out here, isn’t sitting well with me. Storm, maybe you should...”

“If you say sit this one out, we will find out which one of us will come out alive in a fight. That’s my sister out there Rogers, are you trying to tell me, that you would sit on the sidelines and watch Darcy take on The Avengers?” 

Steve had been about to bench Johnny, but the kid was right. Steve would never sit and watch Darcy take on even one avenger let alone five and half of the Fantastic Four. 

“I’m not really sure what we can do Johnny. Natasha and Thor are already in there with Tony and Reed. How many people can your sister take down on her own?”

Johnny watched silently as Reed was flung through the air, his body wrapped around the tree. The sickening crack of his head hitting the trunk made Steve and Johnny both wince in sympathetic pain. 

“Did you see that?” Johnny said, just as Steve threw his shield. 

“Sue, she...”

He sure as hell did see it. Sue had lost control of her power, it was only for a second, but it had come directly following the hit Reed had taken. 

Steve’s shield hit a solid invisible mass and bounced back to him. It had been the little bit needed to change the game. Steve knew how to take Sue down and it was through Reed. 

_____________________________

 

Hours later Tony dropped onto the bed beside Steve, exhausted and sore. The fight had lasted way longer than any of them had expected. Sue had been really hard to pull out the mind control Doom had her under.

Steve was snuggled under the blankets, a book in his hand, the shiner he had received at the hands of Sue was almost healed up. The skin was yellow with a slight green tint. 

“You’re so lucky you heal so quickly.” Tony ran a finger down the slightly raised skin on Steve’s cheek. “I don’t think I could bare to see you hurt.” 

Steve’s eyes left the pages of the book and focused on Tony. He could feel the heat in the stare, the love and strangth that drew him to the man before him, everything was written on Steve’s face. 

“I love you, I hate seeing you hurt.” It was true. Even the small amount of time Steve had had the black eye, had caused Tony an incredible amount of agony. It was like he had been back in the forest clearing, watching Steve take on Morrigan. The feelings of helplessness and fear gripped at him everytime he thought about that fight. The fight with Sue had been no different. Tony feared for Steve’s safety, he probably always would. 

So much had happened in the time between Morrigan and Doom and yet, nothing had. There had been no villains that required the attention of the Avengers. Tony had been able to finally live a domestic life. A life he never, even before he became Iron Man, thought he would live, let alone come to desire. The man next to him on the bed, in all his spangly, perfect, superhuman glory, had changed that. 

Tony would willingly give up the Avengers and Iron Man, if it meant the man beside him would never again feel the sting of a blow. Tony was being fanciful, he knew that, but he couldn’t help it. Steve was his weakness. 

That fact scared him. He had seen how Sue’s love for Reed had hindered her power. They had exploited it and used it to their advantage, but it was still a scary thing. Love could make you strong. Together, in the field, Tony and Steve were a force to be reckoned with, but use one against the other and they would both fall. Tony never wanted Steve to be used against him, he never wanted to be used against Steve either. 

Both Johnny and Reed had been willing to play the pawns in the fight, but it wasn’t a game Tony ever wanted to have to play again. Injuring both Johnny and Reed to get Sue to drop her cloak and shield was perhaps one of the worst things Tony had ever had to do, next to being sidelined in a fight for Steve’s life. 

It had showed him just how powerful family was. It made him want his own, but the idea scared and worried him. He didn’t want to scare Steve off by telling him he wanted a family, and he didn’t want to have yet another chink in his armor, something else the bad guys could use against him. 

“I love you too,” Steve said pressing his lips to Tony’s making his internal struggle dissipate. 

“Marry me.” Tony hadn’t meant for it to come out. He had been planning on asking Steve to marry him, but not like that. Not in their pajamas, in bed, after a fight. 

“What?” Steve asked pulling back slightly. Bright blues eyes locked onto Tony, searching for a punchline or a quirk of a lip, something to tell him it was a joke. 

Tony sat up, he couldn’t go back, he couldn’t play what he said off. He didn’t want to. He reached into the drawer of his bedside table and pulled out a black velvet box. 

Tony ran his thumb over the smooth material and collected his thoughts. Steve hadn’t moved, his eyes fixed to the box in Tony’s hand. If the situation Tony’s inability to think before he acted had got himself into wasn’t such a scary and mildly traumatic one, the look on Steve’s face would be comical. Tony wanted to retort with a smart ass remark about Steve’s eyes falling out of his head, but the words were lost. He had never proposed before, never considered it even, but Steve was different. Steve had always been different. 

Tony opened the box, a solid silver vibranium band with a single line of three bright blue diamonds sat set into the middle. 

“You are my everything.” He said pulling his eyes away from the box and fixing Steve with the most honest stare he could. He wanted Steve to see into his soul, to truly know and understand the depths of his feelings. 

“Watching Reed fight Sue today, seeing the pain in his eyes, knowing he couldn’t get through to her, without something so drastic as being hit by lightning over and over, made me realize just how fragile relationships are. But It made me realize just how much I never wanted to lose you. It showed me how much I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you. I hadn’t planned on proposing like this, but the events of today made me realize, I don’t want to wait anymore. I’ve waited a long time for you. Will you marry me?” Tony held his breath and extending the arm holding the ring.

“Tony, I...” Steve closed the book and moved to sit on his haunches, “yes, yes I’ll marry you! Yes.” 

Tony could have flown around the room, propelled only by pure joy if the embrace and passion filled kiss Steve had planted on him, hadn’t knocked the wind out of him. 

A soft buzzing sound rumbled on the bedside table behind Steve, and he pulled away to look at the tiny pink pager they had been given by Happy a few months ago. 

Steve picked it up, “code pink,” he said looking down at it.

Both of them were off the bed and getting dressed within seconds. Suddenly the subdued tower was alive and humming as every single person had come to life when their pagers had gone off. 

Pepper having a baby was almost enough to overshadow the ring Tony had slipped on Steve’s finger. 

“OH MY GOD!” Darcy screeched as she grabbed Steve’s hand in the elevator on the way down. “Tony proposed!”

The excited chatter died with two simple words. 

Everyone stared gaped mouths at Tony who simply shrugged. “Seemed like the the right time.” 

“This is going to be amazing. I’m going to help plan the most amazing wedding you’ve ever seen.” Darcy was talking animatedly with Steve, who said nothing, just wrapped his arm around Tony. 

Tony melted into his side, he was content. Even in the face of a Doom attack, Tony was happy. Steve had said yes and Pepper was having her baby. Nothing could make the day any better. 

Darcy held onto Johnny as she chatted away at Steve, who simply smiled. Tony knew that smile well, it was one of appeasement. Tony knew Steve didn’t care so much about prep work for a wedding, but Steve would let Darcy have her fun and enjoy the hard work. Natasha stood silently beside Clint, a small smile - the only indication that she was even human, let alone happy about anything - on her face. 

Clint smiled bright, “it’s about time you made an honest man out of Tony, Steve.” 

Steve snorted and Tony looked indignant, but the laughter from the people he considered his family, warmed his heart. He had become such a sap, thanks to Steve. 

“Just don’t any of the rest of you go getting any ideas,” Johnny said.The elevator doors opened before any of them could respond. Thor, Bruce and Reed had hung back to do tests on Sue but they were just as invested. The rag tag family Tony had somehow found himself, piled into the limo, anxious to meet the newest addition. Sharon Hogan would be the most protected kid on the planet. Tony was already planning her iron baby suits and how to make the tower kid proof. Hint, it involved a lot of rubber.


	19. epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THE WEDDING!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's done, I finished it! *jumps up and down*

Darcy ran around barking orders, it was crunch time. Five hours till the big plunge and Darcy was taking it harder than Steve and Tony were. People would have thought that she was the one getting married. 

Darcy had been in full diva, best man/maid of honor horror mode for the better part of five months. Steve and Tony had stepped aside and let the brunette take the reigns. The truth was, Steve didn’t care where the wedding was, who was there, or what they wore, just as long as he and Tony both said I do. 

He’d done the big wedding before, he wasn’t hard pressed to do it again. However, when the sassy little brunette with the big chocolate eyes batted her eyelashes at him, he caved. Darcy had a way of getting him to do almost anything she wanted, he wasn’t even remotely shocked to see that she had gotten her way again. 

“Okay, the flowers have all been set up, the tents are being built, Central Park has been emptied of all non-essential wedding personnel. What am I forgetting?” Darcy looked around the small tent they had set up for clothing changes and then at her clipboard. Her dark brown eyes scanning the never ending list of things she felt she personally had to attend to. 

“Breathing would be a good place to start.” Steve slipped his dark blue blazer onto a hanger and tugged at his white tie. 

“What are you doing!” Darcy screeched, “You need to be getting dressed not undressed.” 

Steve moved across the tent to where darcy stood in the opening, “You, need to relax. The wedding isn’t for another five hours. Pepper and Bruce have everything under control on Tony’s end, and I would rather not have to explain to Johnny why I had to put his girlfriend, my best lady, in a sleeper hold.” Steve put his hands on Darcy’s shoulders and smiled. He was only half joking about the sleeper hold. 

Darcy took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You’re right. Of course you’re right. I’m acting like a crazy person.” Darcy rested her head against Steve’s chest and took another deep breath. “Jesus, you smell good.” 

Steve chuckled, Darcy never passed up an opportunity to nuzzle her nose into Steve’s chest. 

“I need to relax and finish doing my hair and makeup. Can you get Johnny to finish the list while I get ready?” 

Steve nodded and took the clipboard from her. “This day wouldn’t be anything near as special, if it weren’t for you.” He said and kissed the top of her head. “Thank you, for everything.” Steve left the tent to find Johnny. 

 

______________________________

 

The music started, Steve watched the crowd of people filing into Central Park to take their seats. Leave it to Tony to rent out all of Central Park for their wedding. Tony had jokingly told him it was the only place he could get married and bury Darcy’s body and no one would know. Darcy had been driving him particularly batty that day. 

Steve was standing at the makeshift altar in his dark blue suit, his burgundy dress shirt and his white tie. Darcy had picked the colors for the wedding, Tony and he hadn’t cared at the time. When he asked Darcy why she had chosen those colors, she had told him she liked him in blue. He was pretty sure Darcy just enjoyed seeing him look patriotic in the red, white, and blue.

The music cut out suddenly as the last of the people took their seats. The typical wedding music was drowned out by AC/DC’s Shoot to Thrill. While everyone else was looking around, Steve looked up, toward the sky. Tony landed gently beside him at the altar to gasps of the guests. The gold and red Iron Man suit everyone was so accustom to seeing shrunk down and slid off Tony’s body to reveal a burgundy suit, blue dress shirt and a gold tie. Darcy liked her play on colors that was for sure. Happy grabbed the suitcase and settled back into his seat in the front row.

Tony smiled and waved at the crowd and winked at Steve as the wedding march started playing again. Darcy and Bruce stood at the end of the aisle, Bruce’s smile told Steve he was trying to contain his laughter, while Darcy’s told him she was going to murder a billionaire genius. 

“You know you’re a dead man, right?” Steve muttered under his breath as Darcy and Bruce walked arm in arm down the aisle. 

“So long as she waits till after the ‘you may kiss your husband’ part, it was worth it.” Tony smiled as Bruce and Darcy went their separate ways. Bruce taking his spot next to Tony wearing the same dark blue suit as Steve, but with a white dress shirt and burgundy tie. 

Darcy took her spot beside Steve, her long dark blue gown was studded with burgundy jewels on the bodice. Her hair was long and wavy, pinned back by a clip in the shape of Steve’s shield. 

The music fell silent and a hush ran through the crowd. Steve could hear the clicking of cameras, but he tuned them out. Instead he focus solely on the man in front of him. A man he had gone through so much with. 

The justice of the peace went through his speech without Steve noticing. It wasn’t until it came time to say his vows that Steve realized the wedding was close to being over. 

Steve cleared his throat as Darcy handed him the ring, a solid vibranium ring with a sapphire, a ruby and a diamond in the center. It looked just like his ring, only it held the colors of his shield instead of the colors of Tony’s arc reactor. Steve turned fully to look at Tony, a small smile on his face. 

“We’ve had our ups and downs. We’ve battled demons, monsters, and each other. We’ve seen each other at our best and at our worst and still we stand beside each other. Anthony Edward Stark, you make me a better person. You push me to limits I’ve never reached, some, I never want to reach again.” There was a soft chuckle from the audience and Tony smiled. “I love you, everything about you. I promise never to pull you away from your work, unless the world needs saving, you’re seriously ill or you haven’t slept in at least three days. I promise to accept all of your faults.” Tony scoffed and the crowd laughed. “But most of all I promise to love you, for who you are, and what you are, as a whole and never try to change you. You are my ever after.” Steve slid the ring on Tony’s finger and smiled.

Tony turned to Bruce, took the ring and a deep breath, “I never thought I'd make it here.” He laughed softly and Steve smiled. “I never saw myself getting married. This wasn't in the cards. But now that we're here, I know it because of you. Before you, there was never anyone I could ever see myself saying I do to. I'm my own worst enemy, but you make me better than I am. You always have. You push me to be more. You see in me something no one else has, you see possibilities. You understand me, even in my half sleep deprived, crazy inventor stages.” Steve laughed, Tony was always in that stage. “You're my saving grace and the one I know I can always depend on.” Tony paused for a second and smiled. “I'm not the type of guy to make promises, but you know I can and would give you the world if it's what you wanted. I love you Steven Grant Rogers. You're my happiness. You're my light. You're my ever after.” Tony slid the ring on Steve’s finger, and they both turned to look at the justice of the peace. 

“Do you, Steven Grant Rogers, take Anthony Edward Stark to be your husband?” 

Steve looked at Tony. “I do.”

“Do you, Anthony Edward Stark, take Steven Grant Rogers to be your husband?”

Tony turned to Steve. “I do.”

“By the power vested in me, by the State of New York, I now pronounce you Husbands. You may kiss.” 

Steve was pulled flush against Tony’s body, the grip on his tie held him in place. His lips crushed into Tony’s and he melted into the embrace, kissing his husband for the first time felt new and different, but the same. 

The guests cheered and Clint whistled. He heard Johnny yell “get a room” and laughed.

Tony pulled away and they stepped off the altar, Steve expected them to walk down the aisle, greet their guests and take a limo to the reception on the other side of the park. Instead Tony stepped into his Iron Man suit and pulled Steve tight against him. 

“Hold on,” he said through the mask. “See you guys at the reception.” Tony yelled as he took off, Steve holding on as tight as he could. He had flown with Tony many times, but never in a suit and dress shoes. 

__________________

 

“Anthony Edward Stark!” Tony’s eyes popped out of his head.

“You’re so dead,” Steve chuckled. “I should just never get married, first one was a disaster, now I’m going to be a widower before the reception.” 

“This is so not funny, I need a place to hide.” Tony looked around the park, eyes scanning for a place he thought would save him from the small woman on the warpath shouting for him.

“You knew she was going to kill you.” Steve stated simply but pointed to under the table. “You could hide under there.” 

“Are you kidding me? This is a custom made Tom Ford.” Tony motioned the length of his body, indicating his suit. 

Steve rolled his eyes. “And she will assume you had that reaction and would never consider hiding in such a trivial place.” 

Tony thought for a second and then dove under the table. Steve laughed and shook his head. Tony was always willing to buck the system, do exactly what wasn’t expected of him, but it never ceased to amaze Steve how he never learned his lesson. No matter how many times Pepper had lit into him, Tony always found a way to make her mad. Darcy was no different. 

“Where is he?” Darcy stormed over to where Steve was standing. Her high heels were in her hand and she was breathing harder than normal. 

“Did you run?” Steve asked looking at Darcy in shock.

“Don’t change the subject, Rogers! Where is that idiotic husband of yours?” 

“I don’t know, probably on the run. The wrath of Darcy Lewis is enough to make any man skip bail.” 

“You think you’re funny don’t you?” Darcy pointed her finger at Steve. “Did you have something to do with that entrance and exit? Did you know he was planning that?” 

“Are you kidding? No way. I wouldn’t risk being on the wrong end of your tirade. No that was all Tony. But Darc,” Steve grabbed her hand, “could you not kill him until after the reception?”

There was still a lot to be done, a few things that Darcy didn’t know about and Steve wanted to avoid the blood bath. 

“Fine, but I will kill him.” 

Steve patted her on the shoulder. “I promise to let you. Now go find Johnny. I’m sure he wants to dance with his date.”

Darcy walked off to find Johnny and Tony slid out from under the table. 

“You promise to let her!” Tony said indignantly. 

Steve laughed and pulled Tony close to him. “Wait till you give her her gift. I promise she won’t want to kill you after that.” Steve leaned down and captured Tony’s lips with his own. The kiss was soft, smooth, and short. 

“We should get out there, we have a flight to catch in a few hours.” Tony grabbed Steve’s hand and pulled him towards the crowd. 

The reception was loud and busy, but organized. No speeches were given, just lots of dancing and drinking. 

_______________________

Steve stood back and watched as everyone danced and talked to each other, a small smile on his face. It was time to finish the reception so they could fly off to wherever they were going. Tony still hadn’t told him. His eyes scanned the park trying to locate his husband. Thankfully, finding Tony was never too difficult, he was always the one surrounded by a crowd of people. 

Steve made his way over to the crowd.Tony was in the center holding Sharon Hogan, Pepper and Happy standing happily beside him. 

“Steve! Steve, I want one!” Tony said looking down at the baby in his hands. 

Steve’s heart clenched, it was too good to be true, there was no way Tony was serious. Steve had resigned himself to never having kids. Instead he had decided to be the best uncle to Sharon that he could be, but it didn’t change the fact that he did really want kids. 

“Tony, a baby isn’t a play thing, they are a lot of work.” Steve said, a small sad smile on his face. 

Tony looked up, the big grin on his face faltered for a second before it was fixed back on his face. 

“I know that,” Tony said looking back down at Sharon. 

“I think it’s time to do that thing we talked about.” Steve said, trying to ignore the twist in his gut. 

“Right,” Tony handed Sharon back to Pepper and grabbed a glass and a knife from the table. “We will talk later,” Tony said under his breath as he tapped the glass with his knife. “Steve and I want to thank all of you for joining us to celebrate our wedding. Thank you all for the support. But, there’s one person, above every one, that deserves not just a thank you. Darcy Lewis, get your scary behind up here.” 

Darcy walked up to stand next to Tony, the look on her face a cross between confusion and shock. 

“None of this would have happened without Darcy. There were times when I personally wanted to kill her, but her efforts were not lost on me. We owe her more than she could ever know. It’s normal for the guests to give gifts to the couple, but we like to be different. Steve and I decided we would give a gift instead.” 

Tony pulled out a pair of tickets from his jacket pocket. “These are for you, and a second person of your choosing,” Tony looked at Johnny and winked. “You may go anywhere in the world, everything is paid for by yours truly.” 

Darcy squealed and leaped on Tony, making him stumble back. Steve laughed, he had expected Darcy’s reaction, Tony however, hadn’t. 

“I’m so glad Steve talked me out of killing you.” She said jumping up and down. 

“Ahhhh, yeah, about that...” Tony said nervously. 

“Don’t worry, all is forgiven. Now say goodbye, your limo is here to take you away.” 

Steve waved at the crowd and Darcy pushed both him and Tony towards the limo. Before they got in, Darcy wrapped her arms around Steve and hugged tightly. 

“Thank you, for everything.” 

“Isn’t that what I’m supposed to say to you?” he asked her as the limo door was opened and Tony slid inside. 

“Probably, but it doesn’t change the fact that I am so thankful to have you.” 

“Love you Darc, see you in a few weeks.” He kissed the top of her head and got into the limo. The door shut and there was a tap on the hood just before the car started to drive away. 

“Wow, I can’t believe that’s over. I swear I could sleep for days.” Tony snuggled into Steve’s side and sighed. 

“I know what you mean, but I kind of want to talk to you about something.” 

“Oh, yeah. I suppose I should tell you where we are going huh? Well, we will be spending a few weeks enjoying the lush green countryside of Northern Ireland.” 

Steve smiled. “That sounds amazing, but that wasn’t what I wanted to talk to you about.” 

Tony sat up straight and turned to look at Steve, “You have your “I’m being serious Tony” face on. I can’t have done anything wrong already. We’ve only been married like five hours.” 

Steve laughed, “Five hours is plenty of time for you to cause trouble.” 

Tony shrugged his shoulder and nodded in agreement. 

“But, you haven’t done anything wrong. I just wanted to ask you about something you said earlier. When you were with Pepper, Happy and Sharon.” 

“About me wanting a baby?” 

Steve swallowed and nodded. He had been fighting this conversation for a long time. He’d always wanted a family. With Julie he had considered talking to her about it, but the topic was not an easy one to broach. With Tony he figured there was no point in having the conversation. He knew Tony well enough to expect him not to be open to the idea. Their lives were so dangerous and bringing a child into it was foolish and irresponsible, but it didn’t change the fact that he wanted one. He wanted a family that wasn’t just a band of thrill seeking vigilantes. He wanted to be a father. He wanted to show the world he was more than just Captain America. 

“Did you mean it? When you said you wanted a baby?” Steve asked, his voice quieter than he had expected. 

Tony was silent for a long time, at least it felt like a long time to Steve and then he nodded. “I did. I do. I want a family with you. I want kids and I want a life outside of my work shop and outside of S.H.I.E.L.D. We could find a surrogate or we could adopt. That is...” Tony faltered. “That is, if it’s something you want.”

Steve pulled Tony into a firm kiss. “You have no idea how happy that would make me.” 

Tony smiled. “I will look into it more when we get home, but for now, it’s just the two of us.” Tony snuggled back into Steve’s side and Steve sighed, content with the conversation he had finally had with Tony. It wasn’t for sure, but they were going to take steps to building a big family. 

Steve had everything he wanted. Life couldn’t be better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't you worry my pretty little readers, this series is not over. You will see more from Steve and Tony.

**Author's Note:**

> This story IS NOT BETA'D. If you see any really bad errors, please leave me a comment so that I can fix them.


End file.
